Ottolenghi SIMPLE
Author: Yotam Ottolenghi
Date: 2018-09-05 23:00:00+00:00
Keywords: kindle; nonfiction; cooking; recipes
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
Rights: Text &#169; Yotam Ottolenghi 2018

Contents

Cover
About the Book
About the Author
Title Page
Introduction
Brunch
Braised eggs with leek and za’atar
Harissa and Manchego omelettes
Courgette and ciabatta frittata

Portobello mushrooms with brioche and a poached egg

Scrambled harissa tofu
Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa
Beetroot, caraway and goat’s cheese bread
Cornbread with Cheddar, feta and jalapeño
Pea, za’atar and feta fritters
Iranian herb fritters
Raw Veg
Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup

Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa

Tomato and cucumber raita

Courgette, thyme and walnut salad

Tomato and bread salad with anchovies and capers

Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts
Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar
Gem lettuce with fridge-raid dressing
Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad
Watermelon, green apple and lime salad
5-spice peach and raspberry salad
Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil
Cauliflower ‘tabbouleh’
Spring onion and herb salad
Cooked Veg
Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup
Courgette, pea and basil soup
Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup
Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano
Crushed courgettes
Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa

Herby courgettes and peas with semolina porridge

Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

Roasted aubergine with curried yoghurt

Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime

Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts

Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino

Mustard-marinated kale with asparagus

Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing

Garry’s stir-fried cabbage with garlic and chilli

Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad
Mustardy cauliflower cheese
Roasted whole cauliflower
Green tahini sauce
Curried egg and cauliflower salad
Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt
Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce
Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce
Avocado and broad bean mash
Butterbean mash with muhammara
Two bean and two lime salad
Mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar

Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon

Roasted butternut squash with lentils and dolcelatte

Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon

Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

Aromatic olive oil mash

Sweet potato mash with lime salsa

Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

Jacket potatoes with egg and tonnato sauce

Oven chips with oregano and feta

Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

Sweet potato chips

Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad

New potatoes with peas and coriander
Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage
Rice, Grains and Pulses
Buckwheat and French bean salad
Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad
Puy lentil and aubergine stew

Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

Brown rice with caramelised onions and black garlic

Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts

Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic

Noodles and Pasta

Rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds

Soba noodles with lime, cardamom and avocado

Seaweed spaghetti and sesame salad with tahini dressing

Pasta alla Norma

Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar
Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta
Pasta with pecorino and pistachios
Anchovy and samphire spaghetti
Gnocchi alla Romana
Meat
Lamb and feta meatballs
Beef sirloin and basil salad
Lamb siniyah

Grilled lamb fillet with almonds and orange blossom

Lamb bake with tahini sauce and tomatoes
Lamb arayes with tahini and sumac
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin

Lamb and pistachio patties with sumac yoghurt sauce

Spiced ‘shepherd’s pie’ with butterbean crust

Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing

Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

Ricotta and oregano meatballs

Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce

Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon
Chicken Marbella
Chicken with miso, ginger and lime
Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine
Seeded chicken schnitzel
Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust
Fish

Trout tartare with burnt butter and pistachios

Mackerel with pistachio and cardamom salsa

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa

Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

Chilli fish with tahini

Coconut-crusted fish fingers

Fishcake tacos with mango, lime and cumin yoghurt

Smoked fish and parsnip cakes
Charred prawn, sweetcorn and tomato salad
Squid and red pepper stew
Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger
Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod
Prawn and corn fritters
Pudding
Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

Vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb

Sumac-roasted strawberries with yoghurt cream
Plum, blackberry and bay friand bake
Blueberry, almond and lemon cake
Fig and thyme clafoutis
Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake
Hazelnut, peach and raspberry cake
Spiced apple cake
Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls
Mint and pistachio chocolate fridge cake
Brunsli chocolate cookies
No-churn raspberry ice cream
Meal Suggestions
Feasts
‘Ottolenghi’ Ingredients
Acknowledgements
Copyright

About the Book

Everything you love about Ottolenghi, made simple.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s award-winning recipes are always a celebration: an unforgettable combination of abundance, taste and surprise. Ottolenghi SIMPLE is no different, with 130 brand-new dishes that contain all the inventive elements and flavour combinations that Ottolenghi is loved for, but with minimal hassle for maximum joy.

Bursting with colourful photography, Ottolenghi SIMPLE showcases Yotam’s standout dishes that will suit whatever type of cooking you find easy – whether that’s getting wonderful food on the table in under 30 minutes, using just one pot to make a delicious meal, or a flavoursome dish that can be prepared ahead and then served when you’re ready.

These brilliant, flavour-forward dishes are all SIMPLE in at least one (but very often more than one) way:

S – short on time: less than 30 minutes

I – 10 ingredients or less

M – make ahead

P – pantry

L – lazy

E – easier than you think

Ottolenghi SIMPLE is the stunning new cookbook we have all been wishing for: Yotam Ottolenghi’s vibrant food made easy.

About the Author

Yotam Ottolenghi is a cookery writer and chef-patron of the Ottolenghi delis and NOPI restaurant. He writes a weekly column in The Guardian’s FEAST magazine and has published seven bestselling cookbooks: PLENTY and PLENTY MORE (his collection of vegetarian recipes); OTTOLENGHI: THE COOKBOOK and JERUSALEM, co-authored with Sami Tamimi; NOPI: THE COOKBOOK with Ramael Scully; and SWEET with Helen Goh. Yotam has made two ‘Mediterranean Feasts’ series for More 4, along with a BBC4 documentary, ‘Jerusalem on a Plate’. www.ottolenghi.co.uk

Ottolenghi

There are all sorts of ways to get a meal on the table, depending on the sort of cook you are. One person’s idea of cooking simply is the next person’s culinary nightmare. For me, for example, it’s about being able to stop at my greengrocer on the way home, pick up a couple of things which look good and make something within 20 or 30 minutes of getting home. My husband Karl, on the other hand, has a completely different idea of what ‘simple cooking’ is. If we’re having friends over on the weekend, he’ll want to spend a good amount of time beforehand, prepping and cooking as much as he can so that very little needs to be done when our guests are around.

There are other ways, too. Esme, who led on the recipe testing for this book, prefers to be in the garden at the weekend rather than kitchen-bound. Her idea of ‘simple cooking’ is to put something in the oven on a Saturday morning and leave it simmering away, ready to be eaten four or five hours later. Tara, on the other hand, who led on the writing, can’t really relax without knowing that a meal is basically ready a full day before it’s due to be eaten. Sauces are in the fridge, stews are in the freezer, veggies are blanched or roasted and ready.

Whatever our approach, it all looks effortless and easy when friends and family come to eat in our respective kitchens. This is only because we’ve worked out the way that suits us to make cooking simple, relaxing and therefore fun. It’s different for everyone. This idea, then – that there’s more than one way to get a meal on the table and that everyone has a different idea of which way is simple – is what Ottolenghi SIMPLE is all about.

And, no, for anyone wondering, Ottolenghi SIMPLE is not a contradiction in terms! I know, I know: I’ve seen the raised eyebrows, I’ve heard the jokes. The one about the reader who thought there was part of a recipe missing as they already had all the ingredients they needed in their cupboard. Or the one about ‘just popping out to the local shop to buy the papers, milk, black garlic and sumac’!

I hold up my hands, absolutely. There have been lists to make and ingredients to find but, truthfully, there’s not a recipe to my name that I feel sheepish about. Cooking, for me, has always been about abundance, bounty, freshness and surprise. Four big words to expect from a plate of food, so a single sprig of parsley was never, really, going to cut the mustard. The reason I’m so excited about Ottolenghi SIMPLE is that it’s full of recipes which are still distinctly ‘Ottolenghi’ but are simple in at least one (but very often in more than one) way.

To build on the different definitions of simplicity for different people, Tara devised a clear and practical colour-coded system. The beauty of Tara’s system is that it allows you, once you've figured out what kind of ‘simple cook’ you are and for what kind of ‘simple occasion’ you are cooking, to select the recipes which are right for you. Those bright colours are really there to help you plan meals and then make them, with minimum hassle and maximum joy.

short on time

With your ingredients in the house, your knife sharp, the oven on and the decks clear, these recipes will take less than 30 minutes to get on the table. Noodles and pasta dishes come into their own, with their short cooking time, as does fish, which is so often quick to cook. Meat can be speedy as well, though, with things like lamb patties and chicken schnitzel needing very little time in the pan. Raw vegetable recipes will nearly always be quick to make, as are half the brunch dishes, which is what you want when cooking in the morning.

The ‘short on time’ recipes are the ones I eat for supper during the week and the recipes I feed friends for brunch on the weekend. They’re the dishes that can be made so quickly and easily that, sometimes, I end up making five or six at once so that my plans for a simple meal turn, inadvertently, into a big feast.

10 ingredients or less

I thought that imposing a ‘10 ingredients or less’ limit to my recipes was going to be a big challenge but it was actually the biggest thrill. The temptation to add layer upon layer of flavour and texture is one I often happily fall for, but knowing that I couldn’t do that here was a form of liberation.

The most thrilling thing of all, though, was the achievement of this for so many recipes without ever thinking that a recipe was in any way lacking. I can’t see myself becoming a herb apologist in the future – green things make me happy! – and there’s never a dish I regret squeezing lemon over – but, absolutely, less can be more and abundance can still be achieved with fewer ingredients.

So what have I left out that might have otherwise been there? One or two different herbs are used instead of three or four, for example. One type of oil or salt or variety of chilli was shown to be enough. Some ready-made spice mixes – such as curry powder or Chinese five-spice – were a great alternative to grinding and combining a host of individual spices. A dish was bold enough not to need the teaspoon of sugar, clove of garlic or half teaspoon of dried mint or tomato paste I might have otherwise added. Rather than using vinegar and lemon, I’d use just one and increase the amount.

With the exception of harissa, though – one of my absolute pantry must-haves – and one recipe which has a tablespoon of sriracha in its dressing (see the prawn recipe here), I decided not to rely on ready-made chilli blends like Thai green or red curry pastes. There are some really good pastes available but, as freshness is so important to me, I’d rather make a simple quick curry paste of my own, using a few key ingredients, than use an ingredient-packed ready-made version.

Things which haven’t been included in the ingredients list number count are: salt, pepper, olive oil and – in a handful of recipes – garlic and onion.

make ahead

Ottolenghi food is all about freshness. Herbs and leaves don’t like to sit around after they’ve been chopped or dressed. A lot of baked things like to be eaten soon after they come out of the oven. There are all sorts of ways, though, to get ahead with the meal you’re making without compromising on how fresh it is.

Many things, for example, are happy to be made a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge, ready to be warmed through or brought back to room temperature before serving. Spreads and sauces, dips and dressings. The freezer is also your friend. It’s often as easy to make double the amount of a pasta sauce or stew that a recipe calls for, for example, as it is to make the amount you need for one meal. That way you can just freeze half, have your next meal ready and waiting and feel disproportionately pleased with yourself in the process.

It’s not just about getting food into the fridge or freezer the day or week before, though. Making ahead also includes all the ways you can get ahead by a few hours on the day you’re prepping for a meal, so that a dish is ready to be assembled when it’s time to eat. Nuts can be toasted, batter mixture made, stuffing prepped, grains cooked and refreshed, vegetables blanched and dried or, even (in the case of wedges of aubergines or squash), roasted in the oven and brought to room temperature: these are all things which can be done hours (or even the day) before. Herbs might not like to be chopped but they can certainly be picked in advance. Just cover them with a sheet of lightly damp kitchen paper and keep them in the fridge, un-chopped.

With meat a lot can be done in advance. Meatballs can be made up and rolled (ready to be cooked when needed) or even seared in advance (ready to be warmed through before serving). Chicken thighs or beef sirloin can be marinating a day or two ahead of when you’re ready to cook. Slow-cooked stews can be made a day or two ahead and then, again, warmed through before serving.

Puddings, as well, are very often ‘make ahead’. Ice creams sit happily in the freezer, many cakes and most cookies keep well in an airtight container, fridge cakes take up residence in, well, the fridge. Other times it’s about elements that can all be made in advance, ready to be put together before serving: the cherries and crumble and cheesecake, for example, in the cheesecake here, leaving a minute’s worth of assembly to do before a knock-out pudding is brought to the table.

The joy of make-ahead recipes is that, with the knowledge that most of the work is done, you can then actually be in the moment when it comes to serving and enjoying a meal. Having friends and family over is as much about hanging out together as the food that you eat, and there shouldn’t be a big gap between the relaxed fun of planning a meal and the reality of making it happen. People don’t go to their friends’ house expecting food to be served à la minute and checked at the pass. This is what restaurants are for. If you’re someone who likes to plan and get ahead, don’t try to turn into a crazy-person chef the night your friends are coming over for supper.

pantry

What people have in their cupboard depends, obviously, on what they like to cook and eat. The fact that my cupboard shelves are always home to a tub of tahini, some green tea and dark chocolate does not, I know, mean that anyone else’s are going to be.

That being said, there are a few things I’ve assumed you will have to hand. If a recipe relies on them, then it will be seen as pantry-led. These everyday ingredients are:

everyday ingredients

Olive oil

Unsalted butter

Plain flour

Large eggs

Garlic

Onions

Lemons

Greek-style yoghurt

Parmesan (or pecorino)

Herbs

Dried pasta

Rice

Tins of pulses (lentils, chickpeas, butterbeans)

Tins of tuna and anchovies

Salt and pepper

You might still have to pick something up – a piece of fresh cod or haddock, for example, for the dish of chickpeas with flaked cod (here) or some spinach leaves for the gigli pasta (here) – but my thinking is that you’ll be able to stop by just one shop on the way home rather than have to write a long list or go out of your way.

As well as these everyday ingredients, there are 10 ‘Ottolenghi’ ingredients I’m assuming you won’t have in your cupboard already which I’m urging you to go out and buy. Simple cooking is often about injecting as much flavour as possible into a dish in a way that is quick and easy. These are some of my favourite little flavour bombs that will help you to do that. They all have a long shelf life and are used again and again throughout the book.

‘Ottolenghi’ ingredients

Sumac

Za’atar

Urfa chilli flakes

Ground cardamom

Pomegranate molasses

Rose harissa

Tahini

Barberries

Black garlic

Preserved lemon

For more on what these ingredients are, where to find the best version of them and why they’re so good to have in the cupboard, see here.

What you have in your cupboard changes, of course, according to the season. A dish of roasted mushrooms and chestnuts (here) is something you’ll be able to magic up around Christmas in a way that you couldn’t in the less festive months.

Pantry recipes are also meant to be versatile. My ‘fridge-raid’ salad dressing (here), for example, uses the herbs that needed to be used up when making the recipe, but it’s going to work as well without the tarragon and with a bit more basil, if that’s what you have. The chocolate fridge cake (here) is about as robust as a pudding can be: I’ve suggested the dried fruit, chocolate flavour and alcohol I like to add to the mix, but start with what you have in your cupboard and take it from there. There’s something particularly satisfying about making a meal out of what you already have around.

lazy

Lazy cooks are off busy doing something else while the meal is making itself. These are the slow-cooked stews simmering on the stove while you’re in the garden, the whole head of celeriac you leave to roast in the oven for hours, the chicken legs which have been marinating overnight and now just need to be transferred to a baking dish in the oven and left to cook. All the work has been done beforehand, to ensure that the dish gets the flavour it needs, but then it’s up to the combined forces of heat and time to do all the work.

These are also the one-pot or one-tray dishes, low on washing up, high on ease and big on flavour: the vegetables mixed with one or two things – carrots with harissa, for example, or mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar – tipped into a tray and simply roasted.

These are the cakes that need no baking and the rice dishes which can be put into the oven in a baking tray and forgotten about. These are the dishes that fill your house with smells, don’t fill your sink with washing up and allow you to get on with those jobs you never seem to get around to. Or, alternatively, to delight in the possibility of actually being lazy and returning to bed with the papers.

easier than you think

‘Easy cooking’, like ‘simple cooking’, depends again on what kind of cook you are. One person’s idea of easy is different to the next. Making your own bread, for example, is either something you grew up doing or, on the other hand, have never even contemplated. Pastries, ice cream, labneh, custard: they’re all the same. Sometimes it can be the simplest things that can floor one: getting couscous or rice perfectly fluffy or an egg perfectly boiled. The ‘E’ recipes here will all show you how much easier dishes can be than you think.

Other recipes that fall into this category are the ones which look or sound a bit ‘restauranty’ but are actually super easy. The burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil (here), for example, or the trout tartare with pickled shallots, burnt butter and pistachios (here). These both read as though they should be served in a smart restaurant, but you’ll be amazed by how easy they actually are. Don’t be intimidated, also, by recipe names that have French or Italian words in them. ‘Confit’, ‘carpaccio’, ‘clafoutis’; these all sound like you should only try the recipe if you’ve been to cookery school, but it’s all just a ruse!

This is true of all cooking, really. Notwithstanding words in languages you might not speak, if you can read you can cook, and if you know what kind of cook you are – a ‘make ahead’ cook or a ‘short on time’ cook or a ‘whatever I have in my cupboard’ cook – then things will be simpler still. None of us are one set type or the other, of course: we are all sorts of different cooks for all sorts of different occasions and times in our lives. My hope, though, is that for all those who want their food to remain abundant and bold but the cooking of it to be simple, the Ottolenghi SIMPLE structure here will be a kitchen liberation.

A note about ingredients, make ahead recommendations and oven temperatures

Unless otherwise stated: All eggs are large, all milk is whole, all weights in brackets are net, all salt is table salt, black pepper is freshly cracked, parsley is flat leaf and all herbs are fresh. Onions are white, olive oil is extra virgin and lemon and lime pith is to be avoided when the zest is shaved. Onions, garlic and shallots are all in need of peeling, unless otherwise stated. Preserved lemons are small. Belazu rose harissa has been used throughout the book: different varieties and brands of harissa vary greatly from each other so the instruction to increase or decrease the amount needed is always given.

When a recipe (or parts of the recipe) can be made ahead, estimates are given as to how long in advance this can be: up to 6 hours, up to 2 days, up to a week and so forth. Different conditions will affect how long something lasts, though – how long it has been kept out of the fridge, how hot the kitchen is etc – so make ahead recommendations must be balanced against a case-by-case judgement as to whether something is still in good shape to eat. When instructed to keep something in the fridge, if made in advance, it will be best eaten once brought back to room temperature (or warmed through) rather than eaten fridge-cold.

All recipes have been tested in a fan-assisted oven. If you do not have a fan-assisted oven, you can find standard oven conversions at the website address below (use your unique code to register) or online. We also recommend using an oven thermometer as all ovens will vary: books.ottolenghi.co.uk.

Recipe List

- Braised eggs with leek and za’atar
- Harissa and Manchego omelettes
- Courgette and ciabatta frittata

- Portobello mushrooms with brioche and a poached egg

- Scrambled harissa tofu
- Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa
- Beetroot, caraway and goat’s cheese bread
- Cornbread with Cheddar, feta and jalapeño
- Pea, za’atar and feta fritters
- Iranian herb fritters

Braised eggs with leek and za’atar

This is a quick way to get a very comforting meal on the table in a wonderfully short amount of time. It’s a dish as happily eaten for brunch, with coffee, as it is for a light supper with some crusty white bread and a glass of wine. The leeks and spinach can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge, ready for the eggs to be cracked in and braised.

Serves six

30g unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large leeks (or 4 smaller), trimmed and cut into ½cm slices (530g)

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

2 small preserved lemons, pips discarded, skin and flesh finely chopped (30g)

300ml vegetable stock

200g baby spinach leaves

6 large eggs

90g feta, broken into 2cm pieces

1 tbsp za’atar
salt and black pepper

1. Put the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once the butter starts to foam, add the leeks, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are soft. Add the cumin, lemon and vegetable stock and boil rapidly for 4–5 minutes, until most of the stock has evaporated. Fold in the spinach and cook for a minute, until wilted, then reduce the heat to medium.

2. Use a large spoon to make six indentations in the mixture and break one egg into each space. Sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of salt, dot the feta around the eggs, then cover the pan. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.

3. Mix the za’atar with the remaining tablespoon of oil and brush over the eggs. Serve at once, straight from the pan.

Braised eggs with leek and za’atar

Harissa and Manchego omelettes

I like to eat this either for brunch or for a speedy supper, with a fresh tomato and avocado salad on the side. The onions can be caramelised 2 days in advance and kept in the fridge, so it is worth making a double batch of these. Add a tablespoonful to scrambled eggs or couscous salad, for example. Make the egg mixture the day before if you like and let it sit in the fridge. Everything is then ready to be poured into the pan.

Serves four

85ml olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced (250g)

12 large eggs, lightly whisked

100ml whole milk

4½ tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (80g)

2 tsp nigella seeds

15g coriander, roughly chopped

110g Manchego, coarsely grated

2 limes, halved, to serve
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the grill to high.

2. Put 3 tablespoons of oil into a medium (18–20cm) ovenproof frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the onion has caramelised and is a deep golden-brown. Tip into a large bowl and add the eggs, milk, harissa, nigella seeds, half the coriander, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Whisk to combine and set aside.

3. Wipe clean the pan you cooked the onions in, increase the heat to medium high, and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture, swirling it around so that the mixture is evenly spread. After 1 minute, sprinkle over a quarter of the Manchego and place under the grill for 1 minute, for the cheese to melt and the eggs to puff up and finish cooking. Using a spatula, ease around the edges of the omelette to slide it out of the pan and on to a plate. Keep somewhere warm while you continue with the remaining egg mix in the same way, adding more oil with each batch, to get four omelettes.

4. Serve at once, with the remaining coriander sprinkled on top and a wedge of lime alongside.

Harissa and Manchego omelettes

Courgette and ciabatta frittata

This is a regular feature at home on the weekend, when Karl and I are feeding friends. We tend to serve it with a mixed herb and leaf salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil and a few chunks of feta crumbled over. The frittata manages to be light, fluffy and comforting in a way that you can only get when you soak bread with milk and cream. Don’t waste the ciabatta crusts: they can be blitzed into fresh breadcrumbs and freeze well. This can be baked about 4 hours in advance and then warmed through for 5 minutes before serving. Ideally it should be eaten on the day it is baked, but it will keep in the fridge for 1 day; just warm through for 10 minutes.

Serves six

500g ciabatta, crusts removed, roughly torn (250g)

200ml whole milk

200ml double cream

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

¾ tsp ground cumin

80g Parmesan, finely grated

2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated (430g)

25g basil leaves, torn

2 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. Put the ciabatta, milk and cream into a medium bowl and mix well. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes, for the bread to absorb most of the liquid.

3. Put the garlic, eggs, cumin and 50g of Parmesan into a separate large bowl with ¾ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Mix well, then add the bread and any remaining liquid, followed by the courgettes and basil. Stir gently.

4. Place a 20 × 25cm baking dish in the oven for 5 minutes, until hot. Remove from the oven, brush with the oil, and pour in the courgette mix. Even out the top, and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the last of the Parmesan evenly on top of the frittata, then bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the frittata is cooked through – a knife inserted in the centre should come out clean – and the top is golden-brown. Set aside for 5 minutes, then serve.

Courgette and ciabatta frittata

Portobello mushrooms with brioche and a poached egg

As with all dishes which involve eggs and toast and getting ready in the morning, this is all about timing. Ideally, you want the mushrooms and toast coming out of the oven at about the same time, to both be warm, and the eggs poached and ready soon after. Get the mushrooms cooking first, put the bread into the oven halfway through, and then get the eggs poaching. This works as well as a starter late in the day as it does in the morning. Use duck eggs for an extra-rich twist.

Serves four

400g Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1cm thick

75ml olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp ground cinnamon

5g basil leaves, torn

⅛ tsp chilli flakes, plus extra to serve

4 slices of brioche, cut 2cm thick (about 150g)

4 large eggs

100g soured cream, to serve
flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the mushrooms with 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until soft and starting to brown. Toss with the basil and set aside.

3. While the mushrooms are in the oven, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 garlic clove, the chilli flakes and ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt. Brush the oil and spices over one side of the brioche slices and place on a separate parchment-lined baking tray, brushed side up. With about 6 or 7 minutes left for the mushrooms, put the bread into the oven alongside the mushrooms and roast until the bread is golden-brown and crisp.

4. Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with plenty of water and bring to the boil on a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium high and carefully break in the eggs. Poach for 1½ minutes for a runny yolk (or a little longer for a firmer set).

5. Divide the brioche between four plates and top each slice with the mushrooms so that they are all ready. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and spoon them on top of the mushrooms. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of salt and a pinch of chilli flakes and serve warm, with a spoonful of soured cream alongside.

Portobello mushrooms with brioche and a poached egg

Scrambled harissa tofu

This was brought on to our menu as a vegan option for breakfast. It’s been flying off the pass to all of our customers, vegan or not, ever since, as an alternative to eggs. We serve it on thick slices of grilled sourdough bread with a fresh green salad alongside. It’s also lovely with a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots, if you are near an Asian supermarket. If you think you’ll get into the habit of making this for breakfast, double or quadruple the harissa onions: a batch keeps well in the fridge for around 5 days and turns this into a meal which can be ready in 5 minutes. Thanks to Claire Hodgson.

Serves six

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, finely sliced (300g)

1½ tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (22g)

700g silken tofu, drained

6 slices of sourdough, grilled or toasted
salt

AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER SALAD

½ cucumber, sliced in half lengthways, deseeded and thinly sliced on an angle (180g)

2 green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced

3 ripe avocados, thinly sliced (400g)

20g picked coriander leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp nigella seeds

1. Place a large frying pan on a medium high heat and add the oil. Add the onions and fry for 9–10 minutes, stirring frequently until caramelised and soft.

2. While the onions are frying, mix all the ingredients for the salad with ⅓ teaspoon of salt and set aside.

3. Add the harissa to the onions and continue to stir for 1 minute, then add the tofu and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Use a potato masher to break up the tofu so it looks like scrambled egg, and continue to heat for 2 minutes so it’s hot. Serve the scrambled tofu on the grilled sourdough with the salad alongside.

Scrambled harissa tofu

Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa

The only way to make a creamy, rich avocado even more creamy and rich is, of course, to add some creamy rich butter. Don’t worry that it will be a case of ‘too much of a good thing’ though: the salsa does what all good salsas do, bringing freshness, sharpness and balance to whatever it sits alongside.

Make sure your avocado is nice and ripe and that your butter is super soft so that they blend together properly. Don’t be tempted to speed things along by melting it, though – this will cause it to separate: just leave it at room temperature for a few hours. Both the salsa and avocado butter can be made a day in advance, if you like: just keep them separate and store in the fridge.

Serves two generously or four as a snack

2–3 very ripe avocados, at room temperature, flesh scooped out to get 250g

60g unsalted butter, softened and cut into 2cm cubes

3 limes: finely grate the zest to get 1½ tbsp, then juice to get 1½ tbsp

10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

10g dill, roughly chopped

200g cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 tsp capers, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to serve

4 slices of sourdough (300g)

1 small garlic clove, peeled and halved

¼ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
salt and black pepper

1. Put the avocado and butter into the small bowl of a food processor or a hand-held blender with half the lime zest, half the lime juice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times if you need to. Transfer to a small bowl along with two-thirds of both herbs. Fold through, then refrigerate for 10 minutes.

2. To make the salsa, mix together the tomatoes, capers, remaining lime zest, remaining juice and the oil with a good grind of pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.

3. Grill or toast the bread, then rub one side of each piece with the cut side of the garlic clove. Leave the bread to cool down just a little, then spread each slice with the avocado butter and top with the tomato salsa. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds and the remaining herbs. Finish with a grind of pepper and a drizzle of oil, and serve.

Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa

Beetroot, caraway and goat’s cheese bread

Making a bread which requires no yeast and no kneading has got to be the definition of simple! The texture is more ‘cakey’ as a result, best eaten with some salted butter (rather than used to make sandwiches). If you are warming it through, do so in the oven rather than in the toaster, as it’s quite crumbly. Once baked, it will keep in an airtight container for a week or in the freezer for up to a month – thaw before slicing and grilling.

Makes one loaf, 10 slices

50g rolled oats

10g thyme leaves, finely chopped

50g pumpkin seeds

2 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp nigella seeds

100g plain flour

100g wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 beetroots (raw, not the pre-cooked vac-packed kind), peeled and finely grated (200g)

2 large eggs

80ml sunflower oil, plus 1 tbsp extra for greasing

80g soured cream

1 tbsp honey

20g Parmesan, finely grated

120g young and creamy goat’s cheese, roughly broken into 2cm pieces
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Grease and line the base of a 20 × 10cm loaf tin.

2. Mix together the oats, thyme, pumpkin, caraway and nigella seeds in a small bowl. Put both flours into a separate bowl with the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine and aerate, then add the grated beetroot and all but 1 tablespoon of the oat and seed mix. Don’t stir the mixture: just set it aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, soured cream, honey and Parmesan. Pour over the flour and beetroot mixture, then, using a spatula, mix to combine. Add the goat’s cheese and carefully fold through, trying not to break the pieces as you go.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle over the remaining tablespoon of oats and seeds. Bake for 40 minutes, then cover tightly with foil and bake for another 40 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle will not come out completely clean but it should not be too wet. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then tip on to a wire rack and invert it back on itself so that it is seed side up. The outside will be quite crisp and dark. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Beetroot, caraway and goat’s cheese bread

Cornbread with Cheddar, feta and jalapeño

This is such a nice thing to bring to the table, served hot from the oven, out of the pan. It’s a stand-alone bread – delicious as it is – but also happy to share a plate with rashers of bacon and avocado salad.

This bread is best eaten on the day it’s baked, but it’s still fine the next day: just warm it through in the oven. It also freezes well, for up to a month. If you don’t have any fresh corn cobs, you can defrost 150g of frozen corn kernels to be used instead.

Serves ten to twelve

2 small fresh corn cobs, kernels shaved (150g)

140g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne

50g light brown sugar

180g instant polenta

360g soured cream

2 large eggs

135ml olive oil

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

10g coriander leaves, chopped

1 fresh jalapeño chilli, finely chopped
salt and black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING

100g feta, crumbled

100g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated

1 fresh jalapeño chilli, cut into thin rounds

½ red onion, cut into ½cm slices

2 tsp nigella seeds

1. Heat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Put a large ovenproof cast-iron sauté pan, about 28cm wide, on a high flame. Once hot, add the corn kernels and dry-fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until slightly blackened. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cumin and cayenne into a large bowl. Add the sugar, along with 1½ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of pepper. Stir and set aside.

4. Put the polenta, soured cream, eggs and 120ml oil into a separate bowl and whisk lightly. Add to the dry ingredients, then fold in the spring onions, coriander, jalapeño and toasted corn until just combined.

5. Use 1 tablespoon of oil to lightly grease the base and sides of the pan used to toast the corn, then pour in the cornbread mixture and scatter over all the topping ingredients. Bake for about 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Serve the cornbread hot, straight from the oven, or leave to cool for 30 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature the same day. If serving it the next day, warm it through in the oven just before you need it.

Cornbread with Cheddar, feta and jalapeño

Pea, za’atar and feta fritters

This is pretty much a roll-call of my favourite things: green peas, ricotta, za’atar and feta. Add the words fritter and fried and I’m the one at the hob, eating them straight from the pan, all hot and crispy. For those with more restraint, they also work at room temperature, though they lose their crunch. The batter can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for 1 day; just hold back on adding the baking powder and mint until you are ready to start frying.

I’ve served them here with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over, but if you want to add an extra twist, make a little soured cream sauce to have instead of (or as well as) the lemon. Just mix 300g soured cream with 10g chopped mint leaves, 2 tsp dried mint, ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest and ¼ tsp salt.

Makes 25–30 fritters to serve six

500g frozen peas, defrosted

120g ricotta

3 large eggs, beaten

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then cut it into 6 wedges, to serve

3 tbsp za’atar

100g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

20g mint leaves, finely shredded

200g feta, crumbled into 2cm pieces
about 800ml sunflower oil, for frying
salt and black pepper

1. Put the peas into a food processor and pulse a few times until roughly crushed, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the ricotta, eggs, lemon zest, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well, then add the za’atar, flour and baking powder. Mix until just combined, then gently fold in the mint and feta: you don’t want the chunks of feta to break up.

2. Pour the oil into a medium saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, use 2 dessertspoons to scoop up balls or quenelles of the mixture: don’t worry about making them uniform in shape, but they should be about 4cm wide. Carefully lower them into the oil – you should be able to do six or seven at a time – and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and golden-brown. If they are cooking too quickly and taking on too much colour, just reduce the temperature so that the middle also cooks through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate while you continue with the remaining fritters. Serve warm, with a wedge of lemon alongside.

Pea, za’atar and feta fritters

Iranian herb fritters

These can be snacked on as they are, at room temperature, or else served with a green tahini sauce and extra herbs. If you want to make the tahini sauce then blitz together 50g tahini, 30g parsley, ½ crushed garlic clove, 2 tbsp lemon juice and ⅛ tsp salt. Once this is all in the blender, blitz for 30 seconds and pour in 125ml water. Holding back on the water allows the parsley to get really broken up and turns the sauce as green as can be. This sauce is lovely over all sorts of things – grilled meat and fish and roasted vegetables, for example – so double or triple the batch and keep it in the fridge. It keeps well for about 5 days. You might want to thin it with a little water or lemon juice to get it back to the right consistency.

These fritters are a bit of a fridge raid, using up whatever herbs you have around. As long as you keep the total net weight the same and use a mixture of herbs, this will still work wonderfully. The batter will keep, uncooked, for 1 day in the fridge.

Alternatively, pile the fritters into pitta bread with condiments: a combination of yoghurt, chilli sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini works well. You’d just need one fritter per person, rather than two.

Makes 8 fritters to serve four to eight (depending on whether everyone is having one in a pitta, or two as they are)

40g dill, finely chopped

40g basil leaves, finely chopped

40g coriander leaves, finely chopped

1½ tsp ground cumin

50g fresh breadcrumbs (about 2 slices, crusts left on if soft)

3 tbsp barberries (or currants, see here)

25g walnut halves, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

8 large eggs, beaten

60ml sunflower oil, for frying
salt

1. Place all the ingredients, apart from the oil, in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix well to combine and set aside.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large non-stick pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add ladles of batter to the pan. Do four fritters at a time, if you can – you want each of them to be about 12cm wide – otherwise just do two or three at a time. Fry for 1–2 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden-brown. Transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate and set aside while you continue with the remaining batter and oil.

3. Serve either warm or at room temperature.

Iranian herb fritters

Recipe List

- Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup

- Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa

- Tomato and cucumber raita

- Courgette, thyme and walnut salad

- Tomato and bread salad with anchovies and capers

- Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts
- Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar
- Gem lettuce with fridge-raid dressing
- Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad
- Watermelon, green apple and lime salad
- 5-spice peach and raspberry salad
- Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil
- Cauliflower ‘tabbouleh’
- Spring onion and herb salad

Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup

Gazpacho is so often the go-to option for a chilled summer soup that it’s easy to forget about other options. This one is an alternative which is fresh and full of textures. If you see Lebanese cucumbers, do get them: they’re smaller and firmer than the larger cucumbers and, because they have so much less water, have a lot more taste.

This soup will keep for 2 days in the fridge. The almonds need to be fried and added just before serving.

Serves four

4 mint sprigs

12cm piece of ginger, peeled: two-thirds roughly grated and the remaining third cut into thin slices, about 3mm thick (90g)

½ small cauliflower, broken up into 2cm florets (350g)

3 large or 8 smaller Lebanese cucumbers, peeled, deseeded (if large) and roughly chopped (650g)

1 garlic clove, crushed

500g Greek-style yoghurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

60ml olive oil

70g flaked almonds

2 tsp dried mint
salt and white pepper

1. Pour 800ml of water into a medium saucepan and add the fresh mint sprigs, the thinly sliced ginger and 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to the boil, then add the cauliflower and blanch for 2–3 minutes, until just cooked but still retaining a bite. Drain and set aside. The mint and ginger can be discarded.

2. Place the cucumbers in an upright blender or food processor with the grated ginger, garlic, yoghurt, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of white pepper. Blitz until smooth, then chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

3. Heat the oil in a small saucepan on a medium heat and add the almonds. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the almonds are a light golden-brown. Transfer to a separate bowl and stir through the dried mint. Add a pinch of salt and set aside to cool.

4. When ready to serve, divide the cauliflower florets between four bowls and pour over the chilled soup. Spoon the almond mix on top, and serve.

Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup

Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa

As ever with tomato dishes, particularly when the tomatoes are uncooked, this is all about the quality of the ingredients. The tomatoes need to be super ripe and sweet and the sherry vinegar needs to be best quality (such as Valdespino). Make double or triple the salsa, if you like: it’s absolutely delicious spooned over all sorts of things – roast chicken, for example, or on toast topped with mozzarella or avocado (or both) – and it will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once assembled, this dish will also keep in the fridge for up to 6 hours, but bring back to room temperature before serving. Thanks to Ixta Belfrage for spotting this on the next table to her in Chinatown and being intrigued enough to ask for a plate.

Serves four as a side

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (10g)

3 spring onions, very finely sliced (45g)

40ml sunflower oil (or other mild oil)

2 tsp good-quality sherry vinegar

400g beef tomatoes (about 2, depending on size), sliced 2mm thick

¼ green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1½ tbsp finely shredded coriander

1 tbsp olive oil
flaked sea salt

1. Put the ginger and ½ teaspoon of flaked salt into a pestle and mortar and crush to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl with the spring onions and stir to combine.

2. Put the oil into a small pan and place on a low heat until just warm: you don’t want it to heat too much. Pour over the spring onions and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Stir together and set aside.

3. Lay the tomatoes on a large platter, with the slices slightly overlapping. Season with ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt and drizzle over the remaining teaspoon of vinegar. Spoon the spring onion and ginger salsa evenly over the tomatoes (or use your hands to better effect), scatter over the chilli and coriander and finish with the olive oil.

Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa

Tomato and cucumber raita

The chilli paste will keep for 3 days in a sealed container stored in the fridge. Once assembled the dish will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Serves four generously

200g Greek-style yoghurt

10g mint leaves, finely shredded

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely crushed

1 large (or 3–4 small Lebanese) cucumbers, quartered lengthways, watery seeds scooped out with a teaspoon and flesh cut into 1cm dice (300g)

½ onion, finely chopped (75g)

200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
salt

GREEN CHILLI PASTE

2 small preserved lemons, pips discarded, skin and flesh roughly chopped (50g)

2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2½ tbsp olive oil

1. Place all the ingredients for the chilli paste in the small bowl of a food processor, with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Blitz to form a rough paste, and set aside.

2. Put the yoghurt into a bowl and whisk with the mint, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons of cumin seeds and ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Add the cucumbers, onion and tomatoes and stir gently. Transfer to a shallow bowl and top with chilli paste. Swirl lightly, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, and serve.

Pictured here with Butterbean mash with muhammara (here)

Tomato and cucumber raita & Butterbean mash with muhammara

Courgette, thyme and walnut salad

The garlic oil can be made in advance and kept for 3 days at room temperature. Courgettes become watery soon after the salt has been added, so if preparing these up to 4–6 hours in advance, hold back on the seasoning and lemon juice until just before serving.

Serves four

3 tbsp olive oil

10g thyme sprigs

1 lemon: finely shave the skin to get about 6 strips, then juice to get 2 tbsp

1 garlic clove, skin on and smashed with the flat side of a knife

4 courgettes (a mix of green and yellow looks great if you can find both), sliced into long thin ribbons using a potato peeler or mandolin (600g)

60g walnut halves, roughly chopped

15g basil, roughly shredded
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil, thyme, lemon skin and garlic into a small pan. Place on a low heat and leave to warm and infuse for 8 minutes, until the oil becomes aromatic and the garlic, lemon and thyme start to colour. Remove from the heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, strain the oil into a large bowl. Remove the thyme leaves from the sprigs and add to the oil. Discard the lemon and garlic.

2. Add the courgettes, walnuts, lemon juice, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and pepper to the oil. Massage all the ingredients for a minute – the courgettes will break up slightly – add the basil and serve.

Tomato and bread salad with anchovies and capers

Get as big a range of tomatoes as you can here. A clash of colour looks just great. I could eat this every day through the summer just as it is or with a thin tuna steak alongside.

The toasted sourdough will keep for 4 hours, and the tomatoes will keep in the fridge for up to 6 hours, but hold back on the basil until just before serving. Keep everything separate, bring back to room temperature and assemble when ready to serve.

Serves four to six

4 garlic cloves, crushed

6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (about 20g)

110ml olive oil

100g sourdough, crusts left on, sliced 2cm thick, lightly toasted, then cut into 4cm chunks

500g ripe tomatoes, cut into 4cm chunks

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tsp

1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped

5g parsley leaves, finely chopped

5g basil leaves, finely chopped, plus a few extra leaves to serve

1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp of another chilli flake)

flaked sea salt

1. Put the first three ingredients into a medium saucepan, along with ½ teaspoon of flaked salt, and place on a low heat. Cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and anchovies soften when mashed with the back of a spoon. Make sure not to heat the oil too much or the garlic will burn: if it does start to bubble, just remove it from the heat until it cools. After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and add the toasted sourdough chunks to the hot oil. Toss the bread around until well coated, then transfer the bread to a large bowl. Leave the anchovy and garlic oil in the pan.

2. Mix together the tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, parsley and basil.

3. Once ready to assemble, add the tomato mixture to the bowl of bread. Carefully toss everything together, then transfer to a platter or serving dish. Drizzle over the remaining anchovy and garlic oil and finish with the chilli flakes.

Tomato and bread salad with anchovies and capers

Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts

The quality of your tomatoes makes all the difference here. They need to be the ripest and sweetest you can find. This is my go-to salad in the summer, eaten either as is, with some crusty bread to mop up the juices, or served as part of whatever else is on the table. Chunks of ripe avocado are also a nice addition.

The shallots can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. If you want to prepare the dish ahead, slice the tomatoes up to 6 hours in advance and store in the fridge, ready for the oil, basil and seasoning to be added when you are ready to serve.

Serves four

1 large banana shallot, sliced into 1mm thick pinwheels (70g)

1½ tbsp sumac

2 tsp white wine vinegar

700g mixed tomatoes (a mix of large tiger, green and red plum, red and yellow cherry), or a single variety if that is all that you can get

2 tbsp olive oil

15g picked basil leaves

25g pine nuts, toasted
salt and black pepper

1. Place the shallot in a small bowl with the sumac, vinegar and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Use your hands to mix together – you want the sumac to really be massaged into the shallots – then set aside for 30 minutes, to soften.

2. Slice the large tomatoes in half lengthways and then into 1–1½cm wedges and place in a large bowl. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half lengthways and add to the bowl. Pour in the olive oil and mix gently with the basil leaves, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper.

3. Arrange the tomatoes on a large platter and spread over the shallots, pulling some of the tomatoes and basil above the shallots. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve.

Pictured here with Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar (here)

Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts & Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar

Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar

Adding tahini to an otherwise familiar tomato and cucumber salad can be a real revelation. You need to start with a brand of tahini which is creamy, nutty and smooth enough to pour. These tend to be the Israeli, Palestinian or Lebanese brands (rather than the Greek and Cypriot ones, which don’t taste as good). This is lovely as a starter, with the blocks of feta, or served alongside some grilled lamb or rice with lentils (with or without the feta).

Serves four as a starter or side

6 ripe plum tomatoes (or any other sweet red tomato), cut into 1cm dice (650g)

2 Lebanese (mini) cucumbers or 1 regular cucumber, cut into 1cm dice (300g)

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 1cm dice (150g)

5 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle (50g)

15g coriander, roughly chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

200g feta, cut into 4 rectangular blocks (optional)

4 tbsp tahini

2 tsp za’atar
salt

1. Place the tomatoes in a sieve sitting over a bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes, to allow some of the liquid to drain away. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl (the drained liquid can either be discarded or drunk), then add the cucumbers, red pepper, spring onions, coriander, lemon juice, oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine.

2. When you are ready to serve, transfer the salad to a serving bowl, add the feta (if using) and mix gently. Pour the tahini on top and finish with the za’atar and a final sprinkle of salt.

Pictured here

Gem lettuce with fridge-raid dressing

This started off as a clear-up of all the herbs Tara had lying around in her fridge that needed using up (but was so good she ended up buying the herbs all over again to keep making it).

If you’re doing the same, clearing out the vegetable drawer, don’t be too precious about the weight of individual herbs: so long as you keep the total net weight about the same, you’ll be fine.

Make double the recipe for the dressing if you like: it keeps for 3 days in the fridge and is lovely spooned over all sorts of things: a chicken salad or tuna niçoise, for example, roasted root vegetables, or a simple tomato and feta salad.

Get ahead if you like by making the dressing up to 3 days in advance and storing in the fridge.

Serves four as a side

½ very ripe avocado, flesh scooped out (90g)

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (20g)

1 small garlic clove, crushed

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 3 tbsp

1 green chilli (deseeded if you don’t like heat), roughly chopped

1 tbsp tahini

85ml olive oil

10g basil leaves

10g tarragon leaves

10g dill

10g parsley leaves

10g coriander leaves

4 gem lettuces, trimmed at the bottom and cut lengthways into eighths (400g)

2 tsp black sesame seeds (or white), lightly toasted
salt

1. Put the avocado, ginger, garlic, lemon zest and juice, chilli and tahini into the small bowl of a food processor with 75ml of the oil and ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Blitz to a smooth paste, then add the herbs. Blitz again, then, with the machine still running, slowly pour in 60ml of water until smooth and combined.

2. Mix the gem lettuce with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt until combined. Transfer to a platter, spoon over the dressing and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad

It can be easy to get a bit set in your ways with salad dressing. Ringing the changes a little – as I do here, with the ginger and yoghurt – can be a real joy. Prep the cucumbers in advance if you like, but don’t mix them with the dressing until just before serving: the salt in the dressing releases the water in the cucumber, so it will become watery if it sits around for too long. If you start with regular sized cucumbers that’s fine: you’ll just need to cut out the watery core before slicing. This is absolutely lovely with all sorts of things: a roast leg of lamb, some grilled salmon or the pea and za’atar fritters here, to mention just three.

The dressing can be made 2 days in advance and kept in the fridge. Slice and refrigerate the cucumbers up to 6 hours in advance.

Serves four

5 baby cucumbers (or 1½ regular) (500g)

30g lamb’s lettuce

10g picked mint leaves

10g picked coriander leaves

1 tsp nigella seeds

DRESSING

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, crushed

2cm piece of ginger, finely grated (10g)

20g plain yoghurt
flaked sea salt

1. For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together with ⅓ teaspoon of flaked salt and set aside.

2. Take each cucumber and quarter lengthways. Then cut each long quarter diagonally into ½cm slices and place in a large bowl with the lamb’s lettuce, mint and coriander. Gently mix the cucumber and leaves with the dressing and spread in a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with the nigella seeds and serve.

Pictured here with 5-spice peach and raspberry salad (here)

Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad & 5-spice peach and raspberry salad

Watermelon, green apple and lime salad

This is delicious as it is – it screams summer, it screams virtuous and it definitely screams delicious – but some salt-roasted peanuts, pistachios or cashews sprinkled on top also work as a nice addition.

Serves six as a side

½ medium watermelon (1.3kg), rind and seeds discarded and flesh cut into 7cm long, ½cm wide batons (600g)

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 7cm long, ½cm wide batons (250g)

3 limes: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 3 tbsp

1 tbsp olive oil

2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, woody outer leaves discarded, then finely chopped (10g)

5g mint leaves

10g coriander leaves

½ tbsp black mustard seeds, lightly toasted
flaked sea salt

1. Mix the salad just before you’re ready to serve, otherwise it will get too soggy. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, apples, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil and lemongrass with three-quarters of the herbs and ¾ teaspoon of flaked salt. Using your hands as a natural sieve, arrange the salad on a platter. There will be quite a bit of juice at the bottom of the bowl: you don’t need it. Scatter with the remaining herbs, sprinkle with the mustard seeds and ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt, and serve.

Watermelon, green apple and lime salad

5-spice peach and raspberry salad

You don’t want this salad to be too sweet, so for the best results start with peaches that are not too ripe. This looks so perfectly summery and also works really well at a barbecue, where the fruit complements and cuts through all sorts of meat. Some slow-cooked pork belly alongside is a particularly winning combination.

Serves four as a side

1½ tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp Chinese 5-spice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced (20g)

100g raspberries

3 firm peaches, halved, stone removed, cut into ½cm wedges (290g)

40g watercress

½ small radicchio, cut into 2cm wide slices (50g)

salt

1. In a large bowl, mix together the first five ingredients with ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Add the raspberries, lightly crushing them with the back of a fork, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix together well and serve.

5-spice peach and raspberry salad

Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil

Burrata – which means ‘buttered’ in Italian – is one of life’s great pleasures. The outside is firm mozzarella, the inside an oozy combination of stracciatella and cream. The combination of the two is unsurprisingly good. Burrata can be paired with all sorts of flavours – citrus fruit or juice, sweet balsamic, peppery rocket, toasted spices. Here sweet red grapes are skewered and chargrilled: a method which is as simple as it is impressive. If you want to get ahead, marinate the grapes in the fridge for up to 1 day before grilling. If you can’t get hold of burrata, balls of buffalo mozzarella make an absolutely fine alternative.

Serves six as a generous starter
about 320g seedless red grapes, pulled off their vine

2 tbsp Valdespino vinegar (or other best-quality sherry vinegar)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1½ tsp soft dark brown sugar

1½ tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

3 large balls of burrata or buffalo mozzarella (600g)

6 small red or green basil sprigs (5g), to serve
flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Put the grapes in a medium bowl with the vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar, 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well and set aside. Skewer the grapes on to sticks; you want about five or six on each stick. Don’t throw away the marinade: you’ll need this when serving.

2. Place a chargrill pan on a high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Once hot, add the grape sticks in batches and grill for about 2–3 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from the heat.

3. When ready to serve, tear the balls of burrata in half and place one half on each plate. Arrange the grape sticks to lean against them – two per portion – and spoon 1½ teaspoons of the marinade over the cheese. Alternatively, arrange on a platter to serve a crowd. Sprinkle with the remaining fennel seeds, garnish with a sprig of basil and serve.

Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil

Spring lamb feast (see here)

Cauliflower ‘tabbouleh’

If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe here, break the cauliflower into florets and pop them into a food processor (rather than grating by hand). Pulse a few times to blitz it up into tabbouleh-like pieces, but don’t overwork the machine, as the cauliflower will turn to a mush. Toasted pistachios, roughly chopped, can be used instead of (or as well as) the pomegranate seeds, if you want a crunchy garnish.

Serves six

1 large cauliflower (800g)

75ml lemon juice, from about 3 lemons

7 spring onions, finely chopped (70g)

50g parsley, roughly chopped

25g dill, roughly chopped

20g mint, roughly chopped

1 tsp ground allspice

3 tbsp olive oil

100g pomegranate seeds (about ½ a pomegranate)

salt and black pepper

1. Hold the cauliflower by its stalk and grate the florets and smaller stalks coarsely, on the large holes of a cheese grater. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor with its largest grating attachment in place, which is quicker.) Once grated, the cauliflower looks like cooked bulgar wheat and should weigh about 700g. The cauliflower stalk can be sliced thinly and added to salads.

2. Place the grated cauliflower in a large bowl along with the lemon juice and 1¼ teaspoons of salt. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes, then add the spring onions, herbs, allspice, oil and a generous grind of black pepper. Gently mix to combine, transfer to a serving plate or bowl, sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds, and serve at once.

Spring onion and herb salad

This is lovely alongside all sorts of meat: as green and herb-filled as a spring roast chicken wants (see here) and as citrusy and refreshing as any slow-cooked lamb (see here) or beef meatballs (see here) might demand.

If you can get hold of baby cucumbers for this, then do: they have a lot less water in them than the larger version. If you start with the large ones that’s fine: just slice in half lengthways, scoop out the watery seeded core and proceed.

The dressing can be made the day before. Prepare the salad to the point of adding the herbs and salt up to 4–6 hours in advance.

Serves six as a side

8–10 spring onions, cut into quarters lengthways and finely chopped (150g)

2 baby cucumbers (or 1 regular cucumber), unpeeled and cut into 1cm dice (150g)

1 green pepper, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and cut into 1cm dice (150g)

15g mint leaves, finely shredded

15g coriander, roughly chopped

½ tsp nigella seeds
salt

DRESSING

4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (25g)

2 tbsp lemon juice

2½ tbsp olive oil

1. To make the dressing, place the ginger in a pestle and mortar and crush to form a rough paste. Mix with the lemon juice, oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt and set aside.

2. Place all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Add the dressing, toss together well and serve.

Recipe List

- Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup
- Courgette, pea and basil soup
- Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup
- Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano
- Crushed courgettes
- Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa

- Herby courgettes and peas with semolina porridge

- Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

- Roasted aubergine with curried yoghurt

- Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

- Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

- Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

- Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime

- Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts

- Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino

- Mustard-marinated kale with asparagus

- Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

- Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

- Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing

- Garry’s stir-fried cabbage with garlic and chilli

- Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad

- Mustardy cauliflower cheese
- Roasted whole cauliflower
- Green tahini sauce
- Curried egg and cauliflower salad
- Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt
- Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce
- Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce
- Avocado and broad bean mash
- Butterbean mash with muhammara
- Two bean and two lime salad
- Mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar

- Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

- Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

- Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon

- Roasted butternut squash with lentils and dolcelatte

- Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

- Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon

- Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

- Aromatic olive oil mash

- Sweet potato mash with lime salsa

- Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

- Jacket potatoes with egg and tonnato sauce

- Oven chips with oregano and feta

- Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

- Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

- Sweet potato chips

- Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad

- New potatoes with peas and coriander

- Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage

Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup

I like the rough texture of this soup – with the lentils still holding their shape and the coriander distinct – but you can also blitz it before serving, if you prefer things smooth. This soup can be made 4 days in advance if kept in the fridge, and up to 1 month if frozen.

Coriander stalks can all too often be thrown away but they shouldn’t be: they have the texture of chives and taste, unsurprisingly, of coriander. Serve with lime wedges, if you like, for a citrusy kick.

Serves four

2 tbsp coconut oil (or sunflower oil)

1 onion, finely chopped (160g)

1 tbsp medium curry powder

¼ tsp chilli flakes

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (30g)

150g red lentils, rinsed and drained

1 × 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

25g coriander stalks, roughly chopped, plus 5g picked leaves, to garnish

1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into a medium saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and caramelised. Add the curry powder, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger and continue to fry for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the lentils, stir through for a minute, then add the tomatoes, coriander stalks, 600ml of water, 1 teaspoon of salt and a very generous grind of pepper.

2. Pour the coconut milk into a bowl and gently whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside 4 tablespoons – you’ll need this when serving – and add all the remaining coconut milk to the soup. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still holding their shape. Add a little bit more water – about 100–150ml – if your soup needs thinning down.

3. Divide the soup between four bowls, drizzle over the reserved coconut milk, sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve.

Pictured here

Courgette, pea and basil soup

A slightly heartier version of this soup – made with chicken stock and topped with pan-fried cubes of ham or pancetta – is also delicious.

The key to keeping a green soup as green and vibrant as can be is not to overcook it. Once the peas and basil have been added to the pan you want to remove it from the heat and blitz it straight away. This can be made 3 days in advance if kept in the fridge, and up to 1 month if frozen.

Serves eight

75ml olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
about 6 courgettes, chopped into 3cm thick slices (1.3kg)

1 litre vegetable stock

500g frozen peas

50g basil leaves

200g feta, broken into 1–2cm pieces

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into an extra large saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently until they turn golden. Add the courgettes, 2 teaspoons of salt and plenty of pepper and continue to fry for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until starting to brown. Pour in the stock, along with 500ml of water, and bring to the boil on a high heat. Cook for 7 minutes, until the courgettes are soft but still bright green.

2. Add the peas, stir through for 1 minute, then add the basil. Remove from the heat and, using a stick blender or liquidiser, blitz until the soup is smooth and vibrant green.

3. When ready to serve, spoon into eight bowls and top with the feta and lemon zest. Finish with a good grind of black pepper and a drizzle of oil.

Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup & Courgette, pea and basil soup

Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup

When they’re in season, through autumn and winter, there are all sorts of weird and wonderful pumpkins and squash on the market: experiment with different varieties to experience the range of what’s available. Winter squash are best for this soup: their consistency is firm and their flavour has a depth which is similar to sweet potatoes. You can also make it with summer squash (of which pumpkin is one): the flesh will just be a bit more fibrous and watery.

You can make both the soup and pumpkin seeds in advance, if you like: the soup will keep in the fridge for 3 days, or can be frozen for up to 1 month, and the pumpkin seeds will keep well in a dry, sealed container for a good week. Double or triple the recipe for the pumpkin seeds: they are lovely to have around to sprinkle over other soups, salads or roasted vegetables.

Serves four to six

60ml olive oil

2 onions, sliced into 2–3cm wedges (350g)

1.2kg pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed, flesh cut into 3cm cubes (1kg)

1 litre vegetable stock

2 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (30g)

¼ tsp saffron threads

1 orange: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

180g crème fraîche

5g coriander leaves, to serve
salt and black pepper

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

80g pumpkin seeds

2 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp chilli flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Mix everything for the pumpkin seeds in a small bowl, along with ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread onto a small parchment-lined tray and roast for 15 minutes, until the seeds have popped and are starting to brown. Set aside to cool and then break up any clumps into bite-sized pieces.

3. Increase the oven to 220°C fan.

4. Add the oil, onion and pumpkin to a large bowl with ¾ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well and transfer to a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes, until everything is soft and caramelised. Remove from the oven and set aside.

5. Put the stock into a large pot with the harissa, saffron, orange zest, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to the boil on a high heat and, once boiling, carefully tip in the roasted pumpkin and onions, along with any oil from the pan. Stir through, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the crème fraîche, then, using a hand-held blender (or transfer to a free-standing blender if that’s what you have), blitz until completely smooth.

6. Serve each portion with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds and coriander.

Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup

Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano

Try to get small and young courgettes for this if you can: their tenderness is heaven when steamed. I love the thin slices of raw garlic but if this doesn’t appeal then just add the fried oregano leaves.

These are either a simple and delicate starter or work well served alongside other mezze with some bread.

Serves four

800g mixed young courgettes, ends trimmed

250ml chicken or vegetable stock

4 garlic cloves, sliced paper-thin

20 oregano sprigs (20g)

2 tbsp olive oil
flaked sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. If the courgettes are really small you can keep them whole, but, for any larger ones, cut them into quarters, lengthways, and sit them in a high-sided ceramic baking dish, about 27 × 22cm, cut side facing up. They should all be sitting together snugly.

3. Pour the stock into a small saucepan with half the garlic and half the oregano sprigs. Bring to the boil. Sprinkle the courgettes with ¾ teaspoon of flaked salt and then pour over the boiling stock. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the courgettes are completely soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to slightly cool.

4. Remove the leaves from the remaining oregano sprigs and discard the stems. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the leaves and fry for about 1½ minutes, until they begin to crisp up. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl.

5. When you are ready to serve, lift the courgettes out of the warm stock and divide them between individual plates or arrange on one platter. Drizzle over the oregano oil and crispy leaves, along with ½ teaspoon of flaked salt. Sprinkle over the remaining garlic slices and serve.

Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano

Crushed courgettes

This is lovely either as it is (or with a spoonful of yoghurt), as part of a mezze spread, or served alongside some lamb or chicken. If you can get hold of the pale, slightly pear-shaped courgettes (widely available in Middle Eastern grocers), then do: their skin is soft, so they’re easier to crush and bite through.

This dish can be made up to 1 day in advance, up to the point of the herbs and lemon being added. Keep in the fridge and add the herbs and lemon just before serving.

Serves four

3 large courgettes, cut in half lengthways, then into 6cm pieces (850g)

1 tsp dried mint

5g picked thyme leaves

70ml olive oil

1 whole head of garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves

2 tbsp chopped mint leaves

1½ tbsp chopped dill

1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place the courgettes in a bowl with the dried mint, thyme, oil, ¾ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Mix, then transfer to a medium baking dish: you want the courgettes to form a single layer, cut side up and sitting slightly overlapping. Bake for 15 minutes, then add the garlic cloves and bake for another 15 minutes, until the courgettes have softened and taken on some colour. Transfer everything to a colander (set over a bowl or the sink), pressing the courgettes so that they start to release some of their liquid. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes, discarding the liquid released.

3. Transfer the contents of the colander to a mixing bowl and squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins (which can then be discarded). Mash everything together with a fork: if the skin of the courgettes is still a little tough, just use a knife to roughly chop them. Stir in the mint leaves, dill and lemon juice and serve.

Crushed courgettes

Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa

Stuffed vegetables would definitely be part of my last meal – I love them! Traditionally, stuffing vegetables has always been a bit of a labour of love but, here, a lot of labour has been removed without cost to the love. Try to get large courgettes, if you can: you’ll be able to scrape them more easily without damaging them and have plenty of flesh to stuff back inside. A mix of yellow and green courgettes also looks great, if you can get hold of both.

You can make the stuffing a day ahead so that the courgettes are ready to be stuffed and grilled.

Serves two as a main or four as a side

2 large courgettes, halved lengthways (500g)

½ garlic clove, crushed

1 large egg, beaten

40g Parmesan (or pecorino), finely grated

40g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (1 slice, crusts are fine)

100g cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 large lemon: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp

4 tbsp finely chopped oregano leaves, plus a few extra leaves to serve (5g)

35g pine nuts, lightly toasted

3 tbsp olive oil
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.

2. Use a dessertspoon to hollow out the flesh of the courgettes and make them into the shape of canoes: don’t scrape them out completely, though – you want the sides to be about 1cm thick and the courgettes should still hold their shape. Transfer the flesh to a sieve, and squeeze and discard as much liquid as you can: you should be left with about 100g of drained courgette flesh. Put this into a medium bowl and stir in the garlic, egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Use your hands to crush the tomatoes well, then add these to the bowl of courgette mixture. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon zest, oregano and pine nuts. Stir half of this into the courgette mixture and set the rest aside for the salsa.

4. Place the hollowed courgettes on a medium baking tray or ovenproof dish, hollowed side facing up. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil (in total) over the courgettes and season with ⅛ teaspoon of salt (in total). Spoon the courgette mixture back into the hollows and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is set and golden-brown.

5. While the courgettes are baking, make the salsa. Add the lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the bowl of oregano and pine nuts. Let the courgettes cool a little. Spoon over the salsa, sprinkle with oregano leaves and serve.

Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa

Herby courgettes and peas with semolina porridge

The semolina porridge is a super comforting base to all sorts of toppings: it works very well, for example, topped with a very simple beef ragout.

Serves four to six

50g unsalted butter

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 large courgettes, trimmed, halved lengthways, then thinly sliced widthways (1.2kg)

200g frozen peas, defrosted

25g basil leaves, roughly shredded

15g tarragon leaves

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

50g pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

SEMOLINA PORRIDGE

600g whole milk

180g semolina

100g pecorino, finely shaved

1. Put the butter into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and fry for 1–2 minutes, until starting to brown. Add the courgettes, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the courgettes start to soften. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and warm through for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the herbs and lemon zest and set aside while you make the porridge.

2. Put the milk into a medium saucepan along with 600ml of water, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Bring to the boil on a medium high heat, and add the semolina. Whisk continuously for 3–4 minutes, until smooth and thick, like porridge. Remove from the heat and stir in 80g of the pecorino.

3. Divide the porridge between four (or six) shallow bowls and top with the courgettes and peas. Finish with the pine nuts, a sprinkle of the remaining pecorino and a final drizzle of oil.

Herby courgettes and peas with semolina porridge

Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

Anchovies and aubergine might sound like an unlikely combination but it’s one that really works. The anchovies bring more of a salty depth to the dish (rather than anything really fishy). This is lovely as it is, spooned on top of toasted sourdough, but also works as a side to all sorts of things. Roast chicken leftovers or a fresh tuna steak, for example. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days, just bring back to room temperature before serving.

Serves four as a side

4 medium aubergines, sliced into 2cm thick discs (1kg)

100ml olive oil

20g anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp picked oregano leaves

5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the aubergine in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Transfer to two large, parchment-lined baking trays and then brush with 70ml of oil: you want it on both sides of the discs. Bake for 35 minutes, until dark golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the anchovies, vinegar, garlic, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Slowly pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, whisking continuously, until combined.

4. When ready to serve, finely chop the oregano and place in a large bowl along with the aubergine and parsley. Pour over the anchovy dressing, gently mix and transfer to a platter or bowl.

Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

Roasted aubergine with curried yoghurt

All the various components of this dish can be prepared a day in advance, if you want to get ahead. Keep all the elements separate and in the fridge, bringing everything back to room temperature before you assemble the dish. When you next see some fresh curry leaves, grab hold of them – they are sometimes around but then they disappear from the shelves for a while. Freeze what you don’t use so that they’re ready for when you next need them. Lightly fried in a tablespoon of oil, they make a wonderfully aromatic addition to this dish, sprinkled over with the pomegranate seeds before serving. If you’re going down the curry theme for the rest of your meal and have some poppadoms fried, these are great crumbled over. If you do this, you won’t need the almonds.

Serves four generously

3 large aubergines (or 4 regular) (1.1kg)

100ml groundnut oil

200g Greek-style yoghurt

2 tsp medium curry powder

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 lime: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tsp

1 onion, thinly sliced (150g)

30g flaked almonds

½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

40g pomegranate seeds
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away strips of aubergine skin from top to bottom, leaving the aubergines with alternating strips of black skin and white flesh, like a zebra. Cut widthways into round slices, 2cm thick, and place in a large bowl. Mix well with 70ml of oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 40–45 minutes, until dark golden-brown, then set aside to cool.

3. Mix the yoghurt with 1 teaspoon of curry powder, the turmeric, lime juice, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Keep in the fridge, until required.

4. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and dark golden-brown. Add the remaining teaspoon of curry powder, the almonds and a pinch of salt, and continue to fry for 2 minutes, until the almonds have lightly browned.

5. When you are ready to serve, arrange the aubergine slices on a large platter or individual plates, slightly overlapping. Spoon over the yoghurt sauce and top with the fried onion mix. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds and lime zest, and serve.

Roasted aubergine with curried yoghurt

Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

These are delicious as they are, eaten with some bread alongside to mop up the oil. They can also be bulked into a punchy starter, with some burrata or mozzarella, or served for brunch with scrambled eggs. If your tomatoes are not perfectly ripe, just sprinkle them with a tiny pinch of sugar before grilling. These can be made up to 6 hours in advance and served at room temperature.

Serves four

75ml olive oil

3–4 mild red chillies, sliced into ½cm thick rounds, discarding the seeds if you don’t like too much heat (50g)

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (25g)

4cm piece of ginger, finely cut into thin strips (30g)

20g coriander stalks (cut 4cm long), plus 5g coriander leaves to garnish

1kg beef tomatoes (4 tomatoes), sliced widthways into 1cm thick rounds

1½ tsp black mustard seeds, lightly toasted
flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to its highest grill setting.

2. Pour the oil into a saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Add the chillies, garlic and ginger and fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while until the garlic is just starting to brown. Add the coriander stalks and continue to fry for 2–3 more minutes, until the garlic is a light golden-brown and the chilli is aromatic. Using a slotted spoon (so that you can preserve the oil), transfer the aromatics to a plate to stop them cooking. Set aside.

3. Arrange the tomato slices on a 30 × 40cm baking tray, so they are not overlapping. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the aromatic oil, then sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons of flaked salt and a generous grind of pepper. Place the tray about 5cm beneath the grill and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the tomatoes have started to brown. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, pour over the remaining aromatic oil, sprinkle over the aromatics and set aside for 10 minutes.

4. Serve the tomatoes on the baking tray or transfer them to a large platter, overlapping them slightly. Scatter over the coriander leaves and mustard seeds and pour over any oil and juices remaining in the pan.

Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

One of the beauties of this dish lies in the exciting contrast between the hot, juicy tomatoes and fridge-cold yoghurt, so make sure the tomatoes are straight out of the oven and the yoghurt is straight out of the fridge. The heat of the tomatoes will make the cold yoghurt melt, invitingly, so plenty of crusty sourdough or focaccia to mop it all up with is a must alongside.

Serves four as a starter or mezze

350g cherry tomatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

¾ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp light brown sugar

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

3 thyme sprigs

5g fresh oregano: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest picked, to serve

1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½ to get 3 strips and finely grate the other ½ to get 1 tsp zest

350g extra thick Greek-style yoghurt (such as Total), fridge-cold

1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes)

flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, cumin seeds, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a baking tray just large enough to fit all the tomatoes together snugly. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling. Turn the oven to the grill setting and grill for 6–8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.

3. While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the yoghurt with the grated lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

4. Once the tomatoes are ready, spread the chilled yoghurt on a platter (with a lip) or in a wide, shallow bowl, creating a dip in it with the back of a spoon. Spoon over the hot tomatoes, along with their juices, lemon skin, garlic and herbs, and finish with the picked oregano and chilli flakes. Serve at once, with some bread.

Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

This is perfect served in all sorts of ways: warm as it is, along with some steamed rice, or sprinkled with feta. It’s also good as an accompaniment to chicken or fish, served warm or at room temperature.

Once cooked, this can be kept for up to a day in the fridge, just bring back to room temperature or warm through before serving, adding the almonds at the last minute.

Serves six as a side

60ml olive oil

50g flaked almonds

½ tsp paprika

1½ tsp caraway seeds

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 × 400g tins of plum tomatoes

500g Swiss chard, stalks finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped

130g spinach, roughly shredded

2 limes: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

35g mint, roughly chopped

35g dill, roughly chopped

8 spring onions, chopped into 1cm pieces (80g)

salt

1. Place a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the almonds and the paprika. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until the almonds are golden-brown, then remove from the pan to a bowl, discarding the oil once cooled.

2. Return the pan to a medium high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the caraway and garlic and fry for 1 minute until they start to sizzle and brown. Add the tomatoes, chard and ¾ teaspoon of salt and stir through, crushing the tomatoes as you go. Cover the pan and continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring every once in a while until the chard has wilted and the tomatoes have broken down. Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, lime zest and juice, the herbs and spring onions. Serve with the almonds sprinkled on top.

Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime

You can blanch the broccoli and kale well ahead of time here: a good few hours. Once half-cooked, refreshed and dried, it’s ready for the final fry before serving. Doing this little bit of prep turns the dish into one which can then get to the table in just over 5 minutes.

Serves six as a side

1 large head of broccoli, cut into 3–4cm florets (300g)

350g curly kale, tough stems discarded (250g)

3 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or 1 tsp regular chilli flakes)

10g mint leaves, roughly shredded

1 tbsp lime juice
salt

1. Place a large saucepan filled with plenty of salted water on a high heat. Once boiling, add the broccoli and blanch for 90 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli, then refresh under plenty of cold water and dry well. Keep the water on the boil and add the kale. Blanch for 30 seconds, then drain and refresh. Squeeze out as much water from the kale as you can with a clean tea towel, and set aside.

2. Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a high heat. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring a few times, until the garlic is a light golden-brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and set aside. Add the kale to the oil – take care, it might spit at the beginning – and fry for 3–4 minutes, until the leaves are starting to crisp. Add the broccoli, half the chilli flakes and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir through for a minute, then transfer to a large plate or dish. Gently mix through the mint and drizzle over the lime juice. Serve with the remaining chilli flakes and the crisp garlic sprinkled on top.

Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime

Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts

This is also lovely with (an equal quantity of) choy sum, if you prefer, instead of the broccoli. If you use choy sum it’ll only need 1½ minutes’ steaming. This is good as a side to all sorts of things – any roasted bird, for example – or as it is with a bowl of steamed rice.

Serves four as a side

3 tbsp groundnut oil

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned (20g)

1 orange, 3 strips of finely shaved skin

30g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

550g tenderstem broccoli, trimmed and cut in half widthways if the stems are thick

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1½ tsp honey
salt

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, orange skin and peanuts and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic and nuts are a light golden-brown. Transfer to a small bowl (along with all of the oil), to stop them cooking, and set aside.

2. Fill a large saucepan, for which you have a steamer attachment, with just enough water so it doesn’t touch the steaming basket. Place on a high heat and, once boiling, add the broccoli. Steam for 4–5 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving plate and set aside.

3. Return the saucepan you cooked the peanuts in to a high heat – don’t worry about wiping it clean – and add the soy sauce, honey and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Heat for about 1 minute: it should thicken to about 1½ tablespoons of sauce. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the infused oil over the broccoli, along with the peanuts and aromatics. Pour over the reduced soy mix, give everything a gentle mix and serve.

Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts

Winter feast (see here)

Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino

This is served at room temperature so that the pecorino keeps its texture and flavour. It’s perfect alongside a roast chicken or vegetables, along with potato mash.

Serves four

120ml olive oil

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tbsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 sweetheart cabbages (also called pointed cabbage), outer leaves discarded, then cut lengthways into eighths (1kg)

10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

30g pecorino, shaved
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, garlic, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons.

3. Put the cabbage into a large bowl and season with ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Pour the oil mixture over the cabbages (the reserved 2 tablespoons will be used later) and toss well to coat. Arrange on two parchment-lined trays and roast for 20–25 minutes (swapping the trays halfway through so that each tray gets time near the top), until the edges are crisp and golden-brown. Transfer the cabbage to a large platter and set aside for 5–10 minutes or so, to cool slightly.

4. Add the lemon juice to the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil mixture and drizzle evenly over the cabbage pieces. Scatter over the tarragon and pecorino, add a good grind of pepper and serve.

Pictured here

Mustard-marinated kale with asparagus

There’s a little bit of massaging and marinating here, but you can do this up to 4 hours in advance of serving, if you like. Just don’t mix everything together until the last minute. Frozen podded edamame are, happily, widely available in supermarkets.

Serves four to six

30g sunflower seeds

30g pumpkin seeds

1½ tsp maple syrup

250g kale, stems discarded, leaves torn roughly into 4–5cm pieces (200g)

3 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

500g asparagus, woody ends trimmed (300g)

120g frozen shelled edamame, defrosted

10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

5g dill, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.

2. Mix both seeds with ½ teaspoon of maple syrup, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Spread out on a small parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, until the seeds are golden-brown. Set aside for about 30 minutes: the seeds will stick together as they cool and crisp up, but can then be broken into 2–3cm pieces.

3. Put the kale into a large bowl with the remaining teaspoon of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, mustard and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix together well, using your hands to massage the kale for about 1 minute, until it softens and takes on the flavours of the marinade. Set aside for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours, if you want to get ahead).

4. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the asparagus and ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and fry for 6 minutes, turning over throughout so that all sides start to brown and soften. Set aside to cool, then slice on an angle into 4cm pieces.

5. When ready to serve, add the asparagus, edamame and herbs to the kale and mix well. Spread out on a large platter, sprinkle with the seeds and serve.

Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

This is a dish which my husband Karl cooks at home a lot, on the weekend. He tends to be a bit more liberal on the butter front with his asparagus – what are weekends for, after all! And he is Irish! – but I’ve kept quantities just a little bit in check here.

Serves four as a side

600g asparagus, woody ends trimmed (400g)

3 tbsp olive oil

30g unsalted butter

20g flaked almonds

30g baby capers (or regular), pat-dried on kitchen paper

10g dill, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Mix the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of oil, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Arrange on a large parchment-lined baking tray, spaced well apart, and roast for 8–12 minutes (timing will vary depending on the thickness of the stalks), until the asparagus is soft and starting to brown in places. Transfer to a large serving plate and set aside.

3. Put the butter into a small saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Once melted, add the almonds and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the almonds are golden-brown. Pour the almonds and butter evenly over the asparagus.

4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the saucepan and place on a high heat. Once hot, add the capers and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, until they have opened up and become crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the capers from the oil and sprinkle over the asparagus, along with the dill. Discard the oil and serve warm.

Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

This delivers in so many ways: all the goodness of hearty dark green cavolo nero, all the pops of surprise from the preserved lemon, and all the tastiness which chorizo will always bring. The result can be served either as a stand-alone tapas or as a side to all sorts of grilled or roasted meat.

Serves four

1 tbsp olive oil

3 chorizo cooking sausages, halved lengthways and cut into 1cm thick pieces (150g)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ tsp sweet smoked paprika

600g cavolo nero, leaves pulled off stems, stems discarded, leaves roughly chopped into 4cm thick strips and rinsed (360g)

2 small preserved lemons, pips discarded, skin and flesh roughly chopped (40g)

1 tbsp lemon juice

100g soured cream
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the chorizo and fry for 3–4 minutes, until golden-brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until starting to brown. Stir in the paprika, then, using a slotted spoon, lift the chorizo and garlic out of the oil and place in a small bowl.

2. Add the cavolo nero to the pan, in three or four additions, stirring it into the oil. Once all the leaves have been added, add 2 tablespoons of water, ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, covered, stirring once or twice to help the leaves wilt down. Remove the lid and continue to fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the leaves are cooked but still retain a slight bite and are starting to brown.

3. Return the chorizo and garlic to the pan, along with the preserved lemon and lemon juice. Stir through, then remove from the heat and add the soured cream. Fold through, to combine, then divide between four bowls or place on one large platter.

Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing

Anyone who loves okra will never stop trying to convert those who think they don’t love okra to the vegetable. Anyone put off by its ‘sliminess’ (which results from it being chopped up and cooked) really should be open-minded here. The okra remains whole and is barely cooked, so the result is the opposite of what you might imagine. This is a lovely side to all sorts of dishes – it’s perfect alongside the whole roast sea bass with soy sauce and ginger (see here) – or as it is, with a bowl of plain rice.

Serves four as a side

700g okra, stems trimmed (be careful not to expose the seeds, as this will make the dish ‘slimy’)

3 tbsp groundnut oil (or other mild oil)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

2 tsp maple syrup

1 lime: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1½ tbsp

½ tsp sesame oil

15g coriander, roughly chopped

40g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, to serve
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place the okra in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spread out on two parchment-lined baking trays – you don’t want them to be overcrowded – and roast for 7 minutes, until just slightly cooked but still firm and bright green in colour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Place the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large bowl with the chilli, maple syrup, lime zest, lime juice, sesame oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine, then, just before serving, add the okra and coriander. Mix really well – the dressing tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl so you don’t want to lose any of it – then transfer to a serving bowl.

4. Sprinkle over the roasted peanuts and serve.

Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing

Garry’s stir-fried cabbage with garlic and chilli

This is, as my friend Garry Bar-Chang showed me when he was cooking up a Taiwanese feast, a very easy way to eat a lot of cabbage. The secret lies in there being lots of chilli, lots of garlic and lots of stir-frying.

Serves four as a side

2½ tbsp sunflower oil

6 garlic cloves, roughly sliced

2 red chillies, deseeded and cut into roughly 2cm pieces

5 spring onions, cut on an angle into 3cm pieces

1 Hispi cabbage (also known as pointed cabbage), leaves separated and roughly torn in half (550g)

1 lime, quartered, to serve
salt

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan or wok and place on a high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and chillies and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously, until starting to turn golden. Add the spring onions and cook for another 2 minutes, continuing to stir.

2. Add the cabbage in stages (it shrinks as it cooks down), along with ¾ teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the cabbage is cooked and soft but still retains a bite. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes before serving, along with the wedges of lime.

Garry’s stir-fried cabbage with garlic and chilli

Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad

It was a little moment of revelation, I remember, when I first combined roasted cauliflower and raw grated cauliflower in the same dish. So different from one another, but working so well combined. This is lovely as it is, served as part of a spread, or spooned alongside some roast chicken or lamb. Don’t throw away the leaves of the cauliflower here. They’re lovely to eat, roasted and crisp, or grated raw as you would the rest of the cauliflower. If you want to get ahead, roast the cauliflower up to 4–6 hours in advance. Keep at room temperature and then just combine with the remaining ingredients when ready to serve.

Serves four

1 large cauliflower (800g)

1 medium onion, roughly sliced (130g)

80ml olive oil

25g parsley, roughly chopped

10g mint, roughly chopped

10g tarragon, roughly chopped
seeds from ½ medium pomegranate (80g)

40g pistachio kernels, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1½ tbsp lemon juice
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Coarsely grate a third of the cauliflower and set aside in a bowl. Break the remaining cauliflower into florets, roughly 3cm wide, and add these to a separate bowl with the cauliflower leaves, if you have any, and onion. Toss everything together with 2 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Once cool, put the roasted vegetables into a large bowl with the 50ml oil, the grated cauliflower and the remaining ingredients, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss gently, just to combine, then transfer to a platter and serve.

Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad

Mustardy cauliflower cheese

This is the ultimate comfort dish, looking for a roast chicken, some sausages or a pan-fried steak to go alongside. Veggie options also work well: just some hearty brown rice, for example, and a simple salad with a dollop of yoghurt and a wedge of lime alongside. This can be made up to the point of baking and stored in the fridge for 1 day.

Serves four

1 large cauliflower, broken into roughly 4cm florets (700g)

30g unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely diced (120g)

1½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp medium curry powder

1 tsp mustard powder

2 green chillies, deseeded and finely diced

¾ tsp black mustard seeds

200ml double cream

120g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated

15g fresh white breadcrumbs

5g parsley, finely chopped
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. Steam the cauliflower over boiling water for 5 minutes, until just softening. Remove and leave aside to cool slightly.

3. Put the butter into a 24cm round casserole pan or ovenproof dish of a similar size and place on a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the cumin seeds, curry powder, mustard powder and chillies and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mustard seeds, cook for another minute, then pour in the cream. Add 100g of Cheddar and ½ teaspoon of salt, and simmer for 2–3 minutes, for the sauce to slightly thicken. Add the cauliflower, stir gently, and simmer for another minute before removing from the heat.

4. Place the remaining 20g of Cheddar in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs and parsley. Mix, then sprinkle over the cauliflower. Wipe the top inside edge of the pan clean (with a spatula or cloth) – any cream there will burn – and place in the oven. Bake for 8 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cauliflower is hot. Turn the grill to high and keep the pan underneath for 4 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp. Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn. Remove from the grill and allow to cool a little – just for 5 minutes or so – before serving.

Mustardy cauliflower cheese

Roasted whole cauliflower

Keep all the leaves on the head of cauliflower: they are deliciously crisp and tasty when roasted. I like to serve this in the centre of the table, for people to share with drinks at the start of a meal. We break the cauliflower apart with our hands, dipping the individual florets and crispy green leaves into the green tahini sauce and sprinkling with salt. If that sounds a bit odd or messy (which it’s actually not, surprisingly), you can always cut the cauliflower into four wedges and serve on individual plates, to be eaten more traditionally with a knife and fork! Either way, the tahini sauce is entirely optional: I love it, but just a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of crème fraîche also work very well.

Serves four

1 large cauliflower, with all leaves intact (1.3kg)

45g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
flaked sea salt

1. Using a pair of scissors, lightly trim the leaves at the top of the cauliflower, so that about 5cm of the actual cauliflower head is exposed.

2. Fill a pan (which is large enough to fit the cauliflower in) three-quarters full of salted water. Bring to the boil, then carefully lower in the cauliflower, exposed head down: don’t worry if the base is sticking out a little. Return to a boil, cook for 6 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower into a colander, exposed head down. Set aside for 10 minutes, to drain and cool.

3. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

4. Mix together the butter and oil. Place the cauliflower in a medium baking tray, exposed head now facing upwards, and spread the butter-oil mix all over the flower, followed by 1¼ teaspoons of flaked salt. Place in the oven and roast for 1½–2 hours, basting the cauliflower with the oil five or six times during cooking, until the cauliflower is really tender and dark golden-brown and the leaves are crisp and charred.

5. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges (or pull it apart with your hands!) and serve with the lemon wedges and a little sprinkle of salt, or the green tahini sauce below.

Roasted whole cauliflower

Green tahini sauce

This is a delicious sauce to serve with the cauliflower but is totally optional. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This makes enough sauce for 1 cauliflower, serving four

80g tahini

15g parsley, roughly chopped

1 small garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp lemon juice
flaked sea salt

1. Pour the tahini into the small bowl of a food processor along with the parsley and garlic. Blitz for about a minute, until the tahini is green, then pour in 80ml of water and the lemon juice and season with ¼ teaspoon of flaked salt. Continue to blitz until you have a smooth green sauce with the consistency of double cream. Add a touch more tahini if it’s too thin, or a splash more water if it’s too thick.

Curried egg and cauliflower salad

This is what Coronation chicken would taste like if you replaced the chicken with cauliflower and hard-boiled egg. An introduction which possibly makes no sense until you eat it for yourself. If you are missing the chicken side of the equation, then you could do worse than serve this with said bird, roasted on the weekend.

Serves four to six

1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and broken into 3–4cm florets; keeping the tender leaves (500g)

1 onion, cut into 1cm thick wedges (180g)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp mild curry powder

9 large eggs

100g Greek-style yoghurt

50g mayonnaise

1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes)

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed

2 lemons, 1 squeezed to get 1 tbsp juice and the second cut into 4–6 wedges, to serve

10g tarragon, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.

2. Mix the cauliflower florets (with any young leaves attached) in a large bowl with the onion, oil, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Once combined, spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, until soft and golden-brown but still retaining a bite. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Fill a medium pan with plenty of water and bring to the boil on a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, then carefully lower in the eggs and boil gently for 10 minutes, until hard-boiled. Drain the eggs, then return them to the same pan filled with running cold water to stop them cooking. Once cool, peel the eggs, place them in a large bowl and break them roughly with the back of a fork to form large chunks.

4. In a separate small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, mayonnaise, the remaining 1 teaspoon of curry powder, half the Aleppo chilli flakes, the cumin, the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add the sauce to the eggs, along with the cauliflower and onion and the tarragon. Mix together well, spoon the mixture on to a large plate, then sprinkle over the remaining chilli flakes and serve, along with the lemon wedges.

Pictured here with Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino (here)

Curried egg and cauliflower salad & Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino

Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt

This is comfort food at its best, served with some steamed rice. Don’t worry if you don’t have coriander at home already: it’s a nice little garnish but the dish holds its own perfectly without. Make this up to 6 hours ahead if you like, up to the point before the lemon juice and yoghurt are added. Assemble before serving and serve at room temperature or just warmed through.

Serves two

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces (200g)

45ml olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 large onion, finely chopped (180g)

1 tsp caraway seeds

1½ tsp ground cumin

200g Swiss chard leaves, sliced into 1cm thick strips

1 × 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (230g drained weight)

1 lemon: juice ½ to get 1 tbsp, and cut the other ½ into 2 wedges, to serve

70g Greek-style yoghurt

5g coriander, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Mix the carrots with 1 tablespoon of oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a grind of pepper. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes: they should still be a little crunchy.

3. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan, on a medium heat, and add the onion, caraway and cumin. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown. Add the chard, cooked carrots, chickpeas, 75ml of water, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and mix through. Cook for 5 minutes, until the chard leaves are soft and hardly any juice is left in the pan.

4. Remove from the heat, stir through the lemon juice, and serve, with a generous spoonful of yoghurt, a sprinkle of coriander, a drizzle of oil and a wedge of lemon.

Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt

Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce

Serve this with some brown rice, for a dish that manages to be both summery and light, and comforting and hearty. It’s lovely, also, as part of a mezze spread. It can be made up to 2 days in advance, if you like: the flavours only improve. You can then either warm it through before serving or take it out of the fridge 30 minutes or so before eating, to have it at room temperature.

Serves four

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, roughly chopped (240g)

3 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp cumin seeds

1½ tsp hot paprika

¾ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbsp tomato paste

500g runner beans, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal into 2cm pieces

6 medium tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (500g)

500ml vegetable stock

10g coriander, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Add the onions and fry gently for 8 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are starting to colour and soften. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, then add the beans, tomatoes, stock, ¾ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce is thick and the beans are completely soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander. Serve either warm or at room temperature.

Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce

Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce

This is a lovely veggie main, served as it is or with some rice. Chraimeh is a piquant sauce from Libya. It keeps well in the fridge for at least a week (or can also be frozen and kept for a month), so make double or triple the quantities. It also works as a sauce for chicken or fish or just as a dip with bread before supper.

Serves four

450g French beans, trimmed

1 tbsp sunflower oil

400g firm tofu, cut into 2–3cm cubes and patted dry

15g coriander, roughly chopped
salt

CHRAIMEH SAUCE

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp hot paprika

1 tbsp caraway seeds, lightly toasted and crushed in a pestle and mortar

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp sunflower oil

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp caster sugar

2 limes: juice 1 to get 1 tbsp, and cut the other into 4 wedges, to serve

1. Fill a medium saucepan half full of water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the beans and boil for 5–6 minutes, until the beans are cooked but still retain a slight bite. Drain, refresh with cold water, drain again and set aside.

2. Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the tofu and ⅓ teaspoon of salt and fry for 4–5 minutes, turning throughout so that all sides are golden-brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. To make the chraimeh sauce, mix together the garlic, spices and oil in a small bowl. Return the large sauté pan to a medium high heat and, once hot, add the garlic and spice mix. Fry for about a minute, then add the tomato paste, sugar, lime juice and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, then pour over 250ml of water to make a thin sauce. Once bubbling, stir frequently for about 2 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Return the beans to the pan and continue to cook for another minute, so that the sauce is thick and the beans are hot.

4. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the tofu and coriander. Divide between four shallow bowls and serve, with a wedge of lime alongside.

Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce

Avocado and broad bean mash

You can look at podding broad beans two ways: either as a great big bother not worth it, or as something wonderfully therapeutic to do with the radio or music on. It’s also a job very easy to outsource, if anyone is offering to help. Either way, the resulting dish is wonderful: lighter than an avocado-only guacamole and all the more lovely for it. The mash can be made in advance, if you like: it keeps in the fridge for a couple of days.

Serves four as part of a mezze

250g podded broad beans, still in their skins but not in their pod (fresh or frozen)

1 large avocado, peeled and roughly chopped (190g)

1 lemon: finely shave to get 1 long strip, then juice to get 1½ tbsp

60ml olive oil

2 spring onions, finely sliced
salt

1. Fill a small saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Blanch the beans for 2 minutes, then drain, refresh and drain again. Peel off and discard the skins of the beans, then set aside 50g. Put the rest of the beans into a food processor with the avocado, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, and blitz until almost smooth.

2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan on a medium-high flame, then gently fry the spring onions and lemon skin for a minute. Off the heat, stir in the reserved broad beans and a pinch of salt.

3. Spread the avocado and broad bean mash over a plate, making sure there is a rim around the edge. Spoon the spring onion mix into the middle just before serving. The lemon skin does not normally get eaten, but it looks nice as a garnish.

Avocado and broad bean mash

Butterbean mash with muhammara

Muhammara is a spicy Levantine dip made from red peppers and walnuts. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days so double the recipe, if you like. It’s as lovely spooned in to a cheese sandwich or served with grilled meat as it is as a dip. I’ve left the skins on the peppers for ease, but remove them if you don’t want the texture. The mash can be made 3 days in advance – keep in the fridge in a separate container and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Serves six to eight

MUHAMMARA

5 red peppers, quartered, seeds and stalk discarded (850g)

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tbsp picked thyme leaves

¾ tsp sweet smoked paprika

¼ tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

60g walnut halves, lightly roasted and roughly chopped
salt

MASH

100ml olive oil

1 garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed

3 thyme sprigs

2 × 400g tins of butterbeans, drained and rinsed (470g)

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the peppers and oil and spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 15 minutes, and then add the garlic. Continue to roast for 15 minutes, until the skin of the peppers is soft and starting to blacken and the garlic is golden-brown.

3. Place the peppers in a food processor, along with the garlic, thyme leaves, paprika, chilli flakes, vinegar, walnuts and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.

4. To make the mash, put the oil into a small saucepan and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic clove and thyme sprigs and fry very gently for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic starts to caramelise. Discard the garlic, and set the sprigs of thyme aside, along with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Pour the remaining oil into a food processor with the butterbeans, 1 tablespoon of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz until completely smooth, adding a little more water if you need to. Spread out on a large platter or a few plates, creating a natural rim around the edge, and spoon the red pepper sauce into the centre. Top with the crispy thyme springs and their oil.

Butterbean mash with muhammara

Two bean and two lime salad

Making this ahead of time is fine: just hold back on the lime juice until before you serve. It will keep for up to 6 hours in the fridge. If you can’t get hold of fresh kaffir lime leaves, don’t use freeze-dried – the leaves are too brittle to work when finely chopped. As an alternative, use either a stick of lemongrass (remove the tough outer skin and finely chop the soft inner flesh) or else just stick with the lime zest and juice already listed: the dish will still pack a punch.

Serves four as a starter or side

6 large kaffir lime leaves (fresh or frozen), stems removed (5g)

2 limes: finely grate the zest to get 1½ tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

30g coriander, roughly chopped

10g mint leaves

1 garlic clove, crushed

60ml olive oil

2 green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced

600g French beans, trimmed

150g frozen shelled edamame (or peas)

1 tsp black sesame seeds
salt

1. Roll up all the kaffir leaves into a thick cigar shape. Slice as thinly as possible, then finely chop the strips. Place in the small bowl of a food processor with the lime zest, 20g of coriander, the mint, garlic, olive oil, chillies and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz until smooth, then set aside.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the French beans. Blanch for 3 minutes, then add the edamame beans for 1 minute. Drain all together, refresh under cold water and set aside to dry.

3. Spoon the lime paste over the beans, pour over the lime juice, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, along with the remaining coriander, and serve at once.

Two bean and two lime salad

Mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar

These are lovely as an autumn or festive side. They are also great for breakfast, served with scrambled eggs. Use any mushrooms – or a mix of mushrooms – depending on what you see. Just keep the net weight the same. If you’ve got the larger banana shallots lying around, these are fine to use: just cut them in half or even into quarters.

If you want to get ahead, prepare this up to 4 hours in advance – just place everything in the baking tray, minus the salt and pepper, ready to then be seasoned before roasting.

Serves six as a side

650g Portobello mushrooms (about 6–8), cut into 3cm wide wedges

200g small shallots, peeled and left whole

150g ready-cooked and peeled chestnuts, broken in half

5g sage leaves, roughly chopped

60ml olive oil, plus 2 tsp to serve

2 garlic cloves, crushed

5g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

1 tbsp za’atar

2 tsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. In a large bowl, mix the first six ingredients with ¾ teaspoon of salt and lots of pepper. Spread on a large parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, until the mushrooms and shallots are caramelised and soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

3. Tip the warm mushrooms and chestnuts into a large bowl and mix with the tarragon, za’atar, lemon juice and the 2 teaspoons of oil. Spoon into a large shallow bowl and serve.

Mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar

Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

Black garlic has a highly concentrated taste: liquorice meets balsamic meets the absolute essence of garlic. It’s a quick way to inject a huge amount of flavour into a dish. Get everything chopped and ready for this dish before you start, but don’t cook it until just before serving: you want the sprouts to be eaten fresh from the pan.

Serves four as a side

450g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthways (400g)

1 tbsp olive oil

¾ tsp caraway seeds

20g black garlic cloves (about 12), roughly chopped

2 tbsp picked thyme leaves

30g unsalted butter

30g pumpkin seeds, toasted

1½ tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tahini
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the sprouts with the oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes, until the sprouts are golden-brown but still crunchy.

3. Meanwhile, lightly crush the caraway seeds with a pestle and mortar. Add the black garlic and thyme and crush them to form a rough paste.

4. Put the butter into a large sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Cook for 3 minutes, until melted and dark brown. Add the crushed garlic paste, sprouts, pumpkin seeds and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir for 30 seconds, then take off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and transfer to a large bowl or individual plates. Drizzle over the tahini and serve at once.

Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

This is a striking salad with bright colours and serious flavour. Serve alongside any chicken, slow-cooked lamb or with a selection of vegetables and legumes. Long baby carrots look lovely here, as ever, but if you are starting with regular carrots that’s fine: just slice them into long, thin batons.

Bake the carrots up to 6 hours in advance if you want to get ahead, and mix with the remaining ingredients just before you are ready to serve.

Serves four as a side

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (30g)

20g unsalted butter, melted

1 tbsp olive oil

800g long baby carrots (or regular carrots, cut into long, thin batons, 10 × 1½cm), peeled and stems trimmed (to leave just a cm or two)

10g coriander leaves, roughly chopped

60g pomegranate seeds (from ½ a pomegranate)

2 tsp lemon juice
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the cumin, honey, harissa, butter, oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Add the carrots, mix well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray: you don’t want to overcrowd the carrots, so use two trays if you need to.

3. Roast for 12–14 minutes, until the carrots are beginning to brown but still retain a bite, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4. When ready to serve, mix the carrots with the remaining ingredients and serve.

Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon

I love the look of the long, thin baby carrots here, but don’t worry if you don’t have any. Regular carrots, sliced into batons, work just fine as well. This is a lovely colourful addition to all sorts of feasts: great served alongside the couscous and tomato salad (see here), as just one example, and the slow-cooked lamb (see here). Steam the carrots and make the dressing 6 hours in advance, or even up to a day ahead if keeping in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature, adding the yoghurt and herbs when ready to serve.

Serves four

1kg long, thin baby carrots, unpeeled but scrubbed, stalk trimmed to about 3cm

3 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 garlic clove, crushed

⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

120g Greek-style yoghurt

60g crème fraîche

5g dill, roughly chopped

10g coriander, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Place the carrots in a steamer and steam for 8–12 minutes (depending on thickness), until they are cooked through but still retain a bite.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt and lots of pepper in a large bowl. Once combined, add the carrots as soon as they are cooked. Mix well and set aside to cool.

3. Mix together the yoghurt and crème fraîche in a medium bowl with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Add this to the carrots, along with the fresh herbs. Stir through gently – you don’t want to overmix. Lift everything carefully onto a serving bowl and serve.

Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon

Roasted butternut squash with lentils and dolcelatte

I like to serve this with the squash and lentils still a little warm – so that the cheese slightly melts when it’s dotted over – but it also works at room temperature, if you want to make it in advance. Make up to the point of adding the dolcelatte and set aside for up to 6 hours. Add the final elements just before serving.

If you start with ready-cooked lentils, then skip the stage where they get simmered and just add them straight to the bowl with the lemon, garlic, herbs and so forth.

Serves six as a side

1 large butternut squash, unpeeled but cut in half lengthways, deseeded and cut into 1cm thick half-moons or wedges (950g)

2 red onions, cut into 3cm wide wedges (320g)

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

10g sage leaves

100g Puy lentils (or 235g if starting with ready-cooked)

1 large lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1½ tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

1 garlic clove, crushed

5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped

5g mint leaves, roughly chopped

10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

100g dolcelatte, torn into 2cm pieces (optional)

salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Place the squash and onions in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, the sage leaves, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until cooked and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3. While the squash is in the oven, fill a medium saucepan half-full of water (if starting with dried lentils rather than ready-cooked) and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, until cooked. Drain, set aside to cool slightly, then place in a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

4. Add the squash and onion to the lentils and stir gently. Transfer to a serving bowl, dot with dolcelatte, drizzle with oil and serve.

Roasted butternut squash with lentils and dolcelatte

Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

You’ll get more of a bite on your charred corn if you start with fresh kernels, as I do here, but you can also use 300g of frozen kernels, defrosted, as an alternative, and fry them in a pan. The result is more chewy, but still works. Make all the various elements up to a day in advance, if you like – the squash, the salsa, the feta and the seeds – and just bring everything back to room temperature and assemble the dish before serving. You don’t need to serve it straight away, though: it can sit around for a good couple of hours if need be.

Serves six as a side

1 large butternut squash, skin on, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out and flesh cut into wedges, about 8cm long and 3cm wide (1.3kg)

75ml olive oil, plus extra to finish

2 whole corn cobs, husks removed and any hairs discarded

1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely diced

3 limes: finely grate the zest of 1 to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 4 tbsp

10g coriander, roughly chopped

5g mint leaves, roughly shredded

30g pumpkin seeds, toasted

50g feta, roughly crumbled into 1–2cm pieces
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray, skin side down and spaced well apart. Roast for 25 minutes, until the squash is cooked through and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Place a chargrill on a high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Add the corn cobs and grill for about 8 minutes, turning over throughout so that they are charred all over. Remove from the heat and, once cool enough to handle, place the corn perpendicular on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to shave the corn kernels off the cob. Place the kernels in a bowl with the chilli, lime zest and juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and the herbs. Mix well and set aside.

4. Arrange the squash on separate plates or on one large platter. Spoon the salsa on top, sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds, dot with the feta and serve, drizzled with a little extra oil.

Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon

This is a match made in heaven served alongside some oily fish: a smoked mackerel or trout fillet, for example, or some steamed salmon. It’s also great served over freshly cooked lentils. You can make the salad in advance – the day before serving, even. If you do so, just hold back on the dill and the tahini yoghurt and keep everything in the fridge until ready to serve.

Serves four as a side

1kg beetroot, scrubbed clean but skin left on

2 tbsp olive oil

1½ tsp cumin seeds

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced (100g)

1 small preserved lemon, skin and flesh finely chopped and pips discarded (40g)

2 tbsp lemon juice

15g dill, roughly shredded

1 tbsp tahini

150g Greek-style yoghurt
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Wrap the beetroots individually in tin foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 30–60 minutes, depending on size, until a knife inserted goes through smoothly. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and cut the beetroot into ½cm slices. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

3. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 3 minutes, until they start to pop. Pour the seeds and oil over the beetroot along with the onion, preserved lemon, lemon juice, 10g of the dill, 1 teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Mix everything together well, then transfer the salad on to a large serving plate.

4. Stir the tahini into the yoghurt and dot this over the beetroot in four or five places. Stir minimally – you want the yoghurt and beets to mix only slightly – then sprinkle over the remaining dill.

Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon

Tapas feast (see here)

Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

I’ve managed to achieve the seemingly impossible here, of taking a recipe from my NOPI cookbook (full of recipes which would not make it into Ottolenghi SIMPLE) and actually making it more complicated for Ottolenghi SIMPLE. In NOPI, the celeriac is roasted whole as it is, for 3 hours, brushed with oil and sprinkled with salt. The results are so delicious and so straightforward that I’ve taken the liberty of adding one more twist in the form of the coriander seeds. The taste is even more wonderful than before. I like to eat it as it is as a starter, cut into wedges and served with a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of crème fraîche, but you can serve it as a side to a pork chop or steak.

Serves four

1 large celeriac, hairy roots discarded (no need to trim or peel), scrubbed clean (1.2kg)

50ml olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle

1½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
flaked sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Pierce the celeriac with a small sharp knife all over, about 20 times. Place the celeriac in a baking dish and rub generously with the oil, coriander seeds and 2 teaspoons of flaked salt. Roast for 2½–3 hours, basting every 30 minutes until the celeriac is soft all the way through and golden-brown on the outside.

3. Cut into wedges and serve with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of oil.

Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

Aromatic olive oil mash

Creamy mash is hard to beat, but I often prefer olive oil-based mashes, especially if the centrepiece of the meal is already very rich. Adding aromatics to your cooking water is a great way to jazz up mash. I’ve used thyme, mint, lemon and garlic here, but try experimenting with different herbs and spices.

Get ahead by peeling and cutting the potatoes up to 6 hours in advance if you like. Just keep them in a pot of cold water and drain before starting the recipe.

Serves four

1kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces

6 thyme sprigs (5g)

3 mint sprigs (5g)

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 lemon: finely shave the skin to get 5 strips

100ml olive oil
salt and black pepper

TOPPING

60ml olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
about 8 mint leaves, finely chopped (to get 2 tsp)

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tbsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp

1. Put the potatoes, thyme sprigs, mint sprigs, garlic, lemon skin and 2 teaspoons of salt into a large saucepan. Cover with enough boiling water to rise 2cm above the potatoes. Simmer gently for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to mash.

2. While the potatoes are boiling, make the topping. Put the oil, garlic, thyme leaves, mint leaves, lemon zest and juice into a small bowl with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Stir to combine, and set aside.

3. Drain the potatoes into a sieve set over a large bowl (you’ll use some of the cooking water later, so don’t throw it all away). Pick out the thyme and mint sprigs, then return the potatoes to the saucepan (along with the garlic and lemon peel). Use a masher to mash the potatoes, adding 100ml of oil and about 140ml of the cooking water slowly as you go, until you get a smooth mash.

4. Transfer the mash to a platter and use the back of a spoon to create dips in the surface. Drizzle the herb and garlic oil topping evenly over and finish with a good grind of black pepper.

Aromatic olive oil mash

Sweet potato mash with lime salsa

This is delicious alongside all sorts of things: chargrilled chops, for example, grilled sausages, or pan-fried pork loin or tofu. I like to keep the skins, brush them very lightly with olive oil and roast them for about 8 minutes, at 200°C fan, to eat as a crisp-like snack.

Serves four

1kg sweet potatoes, skin left on and cut in half lengthways

60ml olive oil

5g basil leaves, finely chopped

5g coriander, finely chopped

½ garlic clove, crushed

2 limes: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Season the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray, flesh side down, and roast for 30–35 minutes, until very soft.

3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the salsa. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil into a small bowl with all the remaining ingredients and a good pinch of salt, and stir to combine.

4. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. They should slide off easily, but you can scoop the flesh out with a spoon if you prefer. Mash the flesh together with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper until smooth.

5. Transfer to a platter, create dips in the surface, and spoon the salsa evenly over. Serve hot.

Sweet potato mash with lime salsa

Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

I love the strong blue cheese here, but use any other cheese that you have around or prefer: it’ll work just as well. This is either a meal in itself, to serve two, or works well to serve four, alongside a simple steak and fresh green salad. The walnuts are optional, but they do add a welcome crunch.

If Esme could have had her way there would have been more recipes for jacket potatoes here. With both apologies and thanks to Esme, this is for those that didn’t get in and the two winners that did.

Serves two as a main or four as a side

2 large baking potatoes (700g)

25g unsalted butter

3 tbsp double cream

60g Gorgonzola

200g baby spinach leaves

20g walnut halves, lightly toasted and broken up into 1cm pieces (optional)

salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Stab the potatoes a few times with a fork and then place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 1 hour or just over, until the flesh is soft all the way through. Remove from the oven and slice the potatoes in half, lengthways. Scoop the flesh out into a medium bowl, setting the skins aside on the tray for later. Roughly mash the potato with 20g of the butter, the cream, Gorgonzola, ½ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper, and set aside.

3. Take the remaining 5g of butter and divide it between the potato cavities. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and return to the oven for 8 minutes, for the skin to become crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.

4. Place a medium saucepan, half filled with salted water, on a high heat. Once boiling, add the spinach for about 10–15 seconds, just to wilt. Drain the spinach, squeezing out as much of the water as possible. Stir into the potato flesh, to combine, then spoon the mash back inside the empty skins, piled high. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top of the mash is crisp and browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the walnuts, if using, and serve.

Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

Jacket potatoes with egg and tonnato sauce

This brings together two of the most simple and comforting dishes: a baked potato and a soft-boiled egg. If you want to make this even more hearty than it is, fold extra tuna into the sauce before spooning it over the potatoes. If you want to get ahead, the tonnato sauce can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge.

Serves four

4 large baking potatoes (1.4kg)

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

4 large eggs, soft-boiled (into boiling water for 6 minutes, then refreshed under lots of cold water) and peeled
flaked sea salt

TONNATO SAUCE

2 large egg yolks

3 tbsp lemon juice

25g parsley, roughly chopped

120g good-quality tinned tuna in oil, drained

20g baby capers (or regular capers, chopped), drained

2 anchovy fillets in oil, rinsed and patted dry

1 garlic clove, crushed

180ml olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Place the potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of flaked salt, and bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the middle is soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.

3. While the potato is in the oven, make the sauce. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor with the lemon juice, 20g of parsley, the tuna, half the capers, all the anchovies and the garlic. Blitz for a minute to form a rough paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to help the machine. With the machine still running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream, until the consistency is that of a thin mayonnaise. Set aside.

4. When ready to serve, slice the hot potatoes almost (but not completely) in half: leave the base of the skin intact. Squeeze the outside of the potatoes a little – this helps to loosen their flesh – and sprinkle the insides with a pinch of flaked salt. Spoon the sauce over the potatoes and top with an egg, torn in half just before serving so that the yolk runs into the sauce. Add the remaining parsley and capers, drizzle over some oil, and serve.

Jacket potatoes with egg and tonnato sauce

Oven chips with oregano and feta

These are inspired by some chips I ate in George Calombaris’s Melbourne-based restaurant, Jimmy Grants, when I was in Australia judging on MasterChef. I’d heard great things, but my high expectations were still exceeded. Eat these chips as they are, as a side to some fish or meat and with a simple salad, or with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over.

If you happen to be on holiday in Greece (or live near a shop that sells Greek produce), be sure to pick up some dried Greek oregano: its flavour is much more intense than regular dried oregano.

Get ahead by parboiling the potatoes up to 6 hours in advance.

Serves six as a side

2kg Maris Piper potatoes, skin left on and cut into 2cm wide chips

90ml sunflower oil

60ml olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsp dried oregano (regular or Greek)

150g feta, roughly crumbled
flaked sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Place a large pot filled with plenty of salted water on a high heat. Once boiling, add the potatoes and cook for 7–8 minutes, until starting to soften at the edges but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside to dry out for 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the sunflower oil along with 1 tablespoon of flaked salt and mix well.

3. Tip the potatoes and oil on to two large parchment-lined baking trays (so that they are not overcrowded) and bake for 40–50 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden-brown and crisp.

4. About 5 minutes before the chips are ready, heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan on a medium-high heat. Fry gently for 3–4 minutes, until the garlic is pale golden-brown. Take the cooked chips out of the oven and pour over the olive oil and garlic, then return to the oven for a further 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and, while piping hot, sprinkle with the oregano and feta. Serve at once.

Oven chips with oregano and feta

Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

Sumac is a bright and astringent ground spice that I have been championing for a very long time. Its colour and kick means it’s a great way to shake up all sorts of everyday dishes.

Serves four as a side

150ml olive oil

750g Charlotte potatoes, quartered lengthways

5 garlic cloves, peeled

3 rosemary sprigs (5g)

3 thyme sprigs (5g)

2 tsp sumac
salt

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the potatoes, garlic and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Fry gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are golden-brown and soft. Add the rosemary and thyme and fry for another 5 minutes, until the herbs are crisp and aromatic.

2. Use a slotted spoon – you want most of the oil to be drained off – to transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Stir through the sumac and serve.

Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

Anything with the word ‘confit’ in it is enough to put some people off but don’t be intimidated! All that it entails, in this context, is slow-cooking the garlic for so long that the oil becomes wonderfully infused and the cloves themselves become super soft. The confit garlic can be made up to 2 days in advance and the potatoes can be prepared up to the point of them going in the oven, about 6 hours in advance.

Serves six to eight as a side

2 large heads of garlic, cloves peeled (90g)

130g goose or duck fat

4 rosemary sprigs (10g)

6 thyme sprigs (15g)

2kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks

40g ground semolina

2 tsp caraway seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

2 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (30g)

flaked sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan.

2. Place the garlic cloves in a small ovenproof pan or saucepan, for which you have a lid, with the goose fat and herbs. Cover and bake for 40 minutes, until the garlic cloves are soft and caramelised. Remove from the oven, then strain the fat into a large heatproof bowl and keep it. Set the garlic and herbs aside.

3. Increase the oven to 200°C fan.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil on a high heat. Once boiling, add the potatoes and parboil for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are half-cooked. Drain well, shaking the potatoes about a bit to fluff up the edges, and set aside in a colander to dry out for about 10 minutes.

5. Add the potatoes to the bowl of goose fat along with the semolina, caraway seeds, harissa and 2 teaspoons of flaked salt. Mix together well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden-brown, turning the potatoes over once or twice throughout. Stir in the confit garlic and herbs and continue to roast for 10–15 minutes, until the potatoes are dark golden-brown and crispy. Sprinkle over extra salt, if you like, and serve.

Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

Sweet potato chips

These are lovely either as a side or a snack. If a snack, serve alongside some soured cream, for everyone to dip their chips into. The potatoes can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance, up to the point of placing them in the oven.

Serves six to eight as a side

3 very large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1½cm thick chips (1.2kg)

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper

3 garlic cloves, crushed

30g polenta

100ml olive oil

1 tbsp sumac
flaked sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Mix the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with the paprika, cayenne, garlic, polenta, oil and 1 teaspoon of flaked salt. Once combined, tip the sweet potatoes (and all the oil) on to two large parchment-lined baking trays and roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the potatoes are cooked, crisp and golden-brown.

3. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the sumac and 1 teaspoon of flaked salt, and serve at once.

Sweet potato chips

Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad

The basis of this recipe is that you’ll be using up skins from potatoes you’ve already cooked and have sitting around. This is either because you’ve used the cooked flesh to make mash or, in one of life’s great mysteries, your kids have eaten the inside of a jacket potato and left the best bit (i.e. the cooked skins!). Either way, don’t throw them away: they bring a great extra crunch to an already fresh and crunchy salad and they turn this into a dish you can get onto the table in less than 30 minutes. This is totally brilliant alongside the slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust (see here).

All the elements can be made in advance: the dressing up to 3 days and the potato skins can be kept in a sealed container for a day at room temperature. Just assemble when ready to serve.

Serves four to six

1.2kg large baking potatoes (3–4 potatoes)

1 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (15g)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small iceberg lettuce, trimmed and cut into 3cm wide wedges (350g)

5g tarragon, roughly chopped
salt

DRESSING

25g preserved lemon skin, finely sliced (from 2 small preserved lemons)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get ½ tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Place the potatoes on a small baking tray and bake for 50–55 minutes, until soft all the way through. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, cut in half, scoop out the flesh – don’t scrape clean: you want there to be a bit of flesh attached – and set aside for another recipe (see above).

3. Tear the potato skins into 5–6cm pieces and place in a medium bowl with the harissa, oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then spread out evenly on a wire rack placed inside a large baking tray. Bake for 12 minutes, turning over halfway through, until they are dark golden-brown and turning crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and continue to crisp up. Place in a large bowl with the lettuce wedges and tarragon.

4. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pour over the salad. Mix well and serve.

Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad

New potatoes with peas and coriander

This is a lovely side to have with lamb, or all sorts of other spring things. If it is spring and you see some sorrel leaves then add them here, roughly chopped, for an extra burst of flavour. A few chopped anchovies also work well.

This dish can be made a few hours in advance – just warm through before serving.

Serves four as a side

300g peas, fresh or frozen

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded (20g)

15g coriander, roughly chopped, plus an extra 5g leaves to garnish

60ml olive oil

1 small lemon: finely grate the zest of ½, then juice to get 1 tsp

750g new potatoes, sliced in half if large
salt and black pepper

1. Fill a small saucepan with plenty of water and place on a high heat. Bring to the boil, then add the peas and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and set a third of the peas aside. Place the remaining peas in a food processor with the chillies, preserved lemon, coriander, olive oil, lemon zest, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.

2. Place a large saucepan filled with plenty of salted water on a high heat. Once boiling, add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain and set aside in a large bowl. Roughly crush: you want at least a third of them left whole. Add the peas – both the blitzed and the whole ones – to the potatoes along with the lemon juice and picked coriander. Gently stir and serve warm.

New potatoes with peas and coriander

Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage

Making your own pizza dough is easy, rolling it out is fun, and it’s a great thing to get kids involved with in the kitchen. Make the dough up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. The potatoes and mascarpone can be made the day before, ready to assemble. I’ve made a white pizza here, but put whatever you want on top.

Makes two pizzas, serves two as a main with a salad or four as a snack

DOUGH

200g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting the worktop

1 tsp fast-action dried yeast

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

120ml lukewarm water

TOPPING

180g new potatoes, finely sliced (unpeeled) on a mandolin

3 tbsp olive oil

200g mascarpone

40g pecorino romano, finely grated

4 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped

8 sage leaves, finely chopped

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp

50g spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle
salt and black pepper

1. Put the flour and yeast into a large bowl with the oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine, then pour in the water, using a spatula to bring together. Transfer to a lightly oiled surface, then, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for 5 minutes until soft and elastic. Add a little more oil if it starts to stick. Divide the dough in half and transfer both pieces on to a large parchment-lined tray, spaced well apart. Cover with a slightly damp clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, to double in size.

2. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan or as high as your oven will go.

3. While the dough is rising, make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Transfer the potato slices to a parchment-lined tray, big enough that the slices can lie flat and can be spaced apart. Roast for 7 minutes, until golden-brown, then set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, pecorino, anchovies, sage and lemon zest with a good grind of pepper and set aside.

5. Grease two large baking trays with olive oil. Lightly flour your work surface. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a rectangle 30 × 20cm. Carefully transfer to the tray and repeat with the second ball of dough. Spread the mascarpone mixture evenly over both bases, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge. Sprinkle the spring onions on top, then layer over the potatoes. Drizzle each pizza with about 1 tablespoon of oil and bake for 9 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden. Serve warm with a crack of black pepper.

Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage

Summer vegetarian feast (see here)

Recipe List

- Buckwheat and French bean salad
- Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad
- Puy lentil and aubergine stew

- Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

- Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

- Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

- Brown rice with caramelised onions and black garlic

- Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

- Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts

- Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic

Buckwheat and French bean salad

This is either lovely as it is, or served along with some pan-fried salmon. It’s quick to make – less than half an hour if you get the various elements all cooking at the same time – but can also be prepared in advance, if you like. All the elements can be made a day ahead and kept separately in the fridge, ready for the dish to be assembled before serving.

Serves four

2 red onions, cut into 2cm wide wedges (300g)

2 tbsp olive oil

90g buckwheat

350g French beans, trimmed and chopped in half

5g mint leaves, roughly chopped

5g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp of regular chilli flakes), to serve
salt

SAUCE

100g Greek-style yoghurt

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp dried mint

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Mix the onions in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 18–20 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Bring a medium saucepan with slightly salted water to the boil. Add the buckwheat and cook for 8 minutes. Add the beans and cook for a further 5 minutes, until both the beans and buckwheat are al dente. Strain, refresh under cold water and then set aside to dry well.

4. Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and set aside.

5. When ready to serve, mix the onions, buckwheat, beans, mint and tarragon with the remaining tablespoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. You can now transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve the sauce on the side, or swirl the sauce through the salad before you transfer it to your serving bowl. Sprinkle over the chilli flakes and serve.

Buckwheat and French bean salad

Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad

This salad is perfect at a summer barbecue, great alongside all sorts of grilled meats and grilled vegetables. Make the couscous, onion and raisin mix a day in advance, if you like, and keep separately in the fridge; just bring back to room temperature before serving.

Serves four

250g couscous

90ml olive oil

2 tsp ras el hanout

400ml boiling water

300g cherry tomatoes

2 onions, sliced into thin pinwheels (300g)

30g golden raisins or sultanas

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

50g roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped

15g coriander leaves, roughly chopped

15g mint leaves, roughly torn

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
salt and black pepper

1. Place the couscous in a medium dish. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of ras el hanout, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, then pour over the boiling water. Stir, seal the dish well with foil and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside to cool.

2. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring a few times, until they start to brown and split open. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and set aside with any juices.

3. Wipe the pan clean, then add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and return to a medium high heat. Add the onions, the remaining teaspoon of ras el hanout and ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until dark golden-brown and soft. Remove from the heat, stir in the raisins and set aside to cool.

4. Once the couscous has cooled slightly, transfer it to a large bowl. Add the onion and raisin mix and stir. Add the cumin seeds, almonds, herbs, lemon zest, juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper, and mix gently.

5. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the tomatoes.

Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad

Puy lentil and aubergine stew

Few things bring me more pleasure in the kitchen than taking a set of familiar ingredients and seeing them in a new light. It’s happened here with this stew and also the Puy lentil and aubergine dish here. The two ingredients lists are very similar – the aubergine, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Both dishes – though equally delicious – are completely different from one another. It’s one of the many reasons I love aubergines: they’re so versatile and can be cooked in such different ways to yield such different results.

Serve the stew either as a hearty starter or a side, or else as a main, served with any grain you like. The stew can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge – just warm through and add the crème fraîche, oil, chilli flakes and oregano before serving.

Serves four as a starter or side, two as a main

3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to serve

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 large red onion, finely chopped (160g)

½ tbsp picked thyme leaves

2 small aubergines, cut into chunks, about 5 × 2cm (420g)

200g cherry tomatoes

180g Puy lentils

500ml vegetable stock

80ml dry white wine

100g crème fraîche

1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes)

2 tsp picked oregano leaves
salt and black pepper

1. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large, high-sided sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and ¼ teaspoon of salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside.

2. Place the aubergines and tomatoes in a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the aubergines and tomatoes. Fry for 10 minutes, on medium high, turning them often until the aubergine is soft and golden-brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, 450ml of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite.

3. Serve warm, or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil and chilli flakes and oregano on top.

Puy lentil and aubergine stew

Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

You can make just the bulgur and tomato, if you like (without the aubergine and preserved lemon yoghurt) and serve it as a side. With the aubergine and yoghurt, though, it makes a satisfying vegetarian main. You can make all the elements up to a day ahead, just keep separate in the fridge, warm through and assemble before serving.

Serves four as a main or eight as a side

2 aubergines, cut into 3cm chunks (500g)

105ml olive oil

2 onions, finely sliced (320g)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground allspice

400g cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

250g bulgur wheat

200g Greek-style yoghurt

1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded, skin and flesh finely chopped (25g)

10g mint leaves, finely shredded
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place the aubergines in a large bowl with 4 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well and then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 35–40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the aubergines are caramelised and soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.

3. Add the remaining oil to a large sauté pan (for which you have a lid) and place on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until caramelised and soft. Add the garlic and allspice and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously until the garlic is aromatic and starting to brown. Add the cherry tomatoes, mashing them with a potato masher to break them up. Stir in the tomato paste, 400ml of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Add the bulgur, stir so that it is completely coated and then remove from the heat. Set aside for 20 minutes, for the bulgur to absorb all the liquid.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together the yoghurt with the preserved lemon, half the mint and ⅛ teaspoon of salt.

5. Divide the bulgur between four plates. Serve with the yoghurt and aubergine on top with a sprinkle of the remaining mint.

Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

This works as both a side and a main, with some wilted greens alongside. Get as large a mix of mushrooms as you can and like. Thanks to food writer Limor Laniado Tiroche, writing in Haaretz, who inspired this dish.

Serves four as a side or two as a main

150g bulgur wheat

250ml boiling water

65ml olive oil

1 large onion, finely sliced (170g)

1 tsp cumin seeds

500g mixed mushrooms, sliced 4–5mm thick (or torn apart if wild)

2 tbsp picked thyme leaves

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

10g dill, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

60g feta, broken into 1–2cm pieces

1 tsp Urfa chilli flakes (or ½ tsp of regular chilli flakes)

salt and black pepper

1. Rinse the bulgur and place in a large bowl. Stir in ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, then pour over the boiling water. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur is soft. Drain, if there is any liquid left, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the onion and fry for 7–8 minutes, until soft and caramelised. Add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and continue to fry for 1–2 minutes, until dark golden-brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan and increase the heat to high. Mix in the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon of salt and fry for 6–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and the thyme and continue to heat for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 30 seconds: it should reduce to practically nothing. Stir in the bulgur, onion, dill, feta and chilli flakes, until warmed through, then remove from the heat.

4. Spoon the bulgur and mushrooms on to a large platter or two individual plates. Sprinkle over some extra dill, drizzle with the remaining oil and serve.

Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

For the sake of ease I’ve roasted the aubergines here in a hot oven. If you want to really get a smoky taste into the flesh of the aubergine, though, you’re best to put it directly on the open flame on your stove. I line my stove top with foil when doing this (making holes for the flames to come through), then use long tongs to help turn the aubergine so that all sides get burnt. This method can be a bit messy, but the upside is that it takes just 15–20 minutes, rather than an hour, and the resulting smoky taste is more intense.

This can be made up to 3 days in advance, up to the point of the yoghurt being added. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Serves four as a starter or side, two as a main

4 aubergines, pricked a few times with a knife (1.1kg)

300g cherry tomatoes

160g Puy lentils (or 350g ready-cooked lentils, if you want to save time)

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp picked oregano leaves

100g Greek-style yoghurt
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan or as high as your oven will go.

2. Place the aubergines on a baking tray and roast for 1 hour, turning them over halfway through, until the flesh is completely soft and slightly smoky. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough handle, scoop the flesh out into a colander. Set aside, in the sink or over a bowl, for 30 minutes, for any liquid to drain away. The skin can be discarded.

3. Place the cherry tomatoes on the same tray and roast for 12 minutes, until slightly blackened, split and soft. Remove and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, if starting with uncooked lentils, fill a medium saucepan with plenty of water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, until soft but still retaining a bite. Drain, then set aside to dry out slightly. If starting with ready-cooked lentils, just tip them into a large bowl and add the aubergine flesh, tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of oregano, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well, then spoon into a large shallow bowl. Top with the yoghurt, swirling it through slightly so there are obvious streaks. Sprinkle over the remaining tablespoon of oregano, drizzle with a little oil, and serve.

Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

Brown rice with caramelised onions and black garlic

This rich rice dish is a lovely accompaniment to lamb or pork, but also works well as it is, with a plate of fresh or steamed veg. It’s also a great introduction to black garlic if you’ve yet to shake hands. The balsamic-liquorice flavour and squidgy texture of the cloves makes them easy to slice or blitz, and an even easier way to add a tonne of flavour to all sorts of dishes. Don’t be afraid to really caramelise the onions: the darker the colour, the sweeter the flavour. The onions can be made the day before you need them and kept in the fridge.

Serves four as a side

65ml sunflower oil

2 large onions, cut into 2cm wide wedges (500g)

1 lemon: skin finely shaved, plus 2 tbsp juice

200g brown rice, rinsed

10 black garlic cloves, thinly sliced

150g Greek-style yoghurt

10g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
salt

1. Pour 50ml of oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt, and fry for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t burn. Add the lemon skin and cook for another 12 minutes, continuing to stir from time to time, until the onions are dark and caramelised. Transfer to a separate plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the rice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then pour over 500ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for about 45 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the onions, lemon juice and black garlic. Serve at once, topped with a generous spoonful of the yoghurt and a sprinkle of parsley; alternatively, you can serve the yoghurt in a bowl on the side.

Brown rice with caramelised onions and black garlic

Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

Cooking rice perfectly is one of those things that shouldn’t be complicated but can be surprisingly difficult, for some, to get right. Baking it in the oven, on the other hand, as I do here, is a completely foolproof method (and one that worked, incidentally, when feeding 700 people over two sittings at Wilderness festival in 2017!). This is such a great side to all sorts of dishes: roasted root vegetables, slow-cooked lamb or pork.

To get ahead, the salsa can be made a few hours in advance and kept in the fridge.

Serves six

400g basmati rice

50g unsalted butter, melted

800ml boiling water

50g mint (40g left on the sprigs; leaves shredded for the remaining 10g, to use in the salsa)

150g feta, crumbled into 1–2cm pieces
salt and black pepper

SALSA

40g pitted green olives, thinly sliced
seeds from 1 small pomegranate (90g)

50g walnut halves, lightly roasted and roughly broken

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan, or as high as your oven will go.

2. Place the rice in a high-sided ovenproof dish, measuring 20 × 30cm. Season with ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, then pour over the butter and boiling water. Top with the sprigs of mint and cover the dish tightly with tin foil so that the rice is well sealed. Bake for 25 minutes, until the rice is light and fluffy and all the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the salsa, minus the 10g shredded mint, in a medium bowl with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix well and set aside.

4. Take the rice out of the oven, and remove and discard the foil. Pull the leaves off the mint sprigs – the stalks can be discarded – then place these back on the rice and sprinkle with the feta. Just before serving, stir the shredded mint into the salsa and spoon evenly over the rice. Serve hot.

Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts

Sticky rice is brilliant as it is, served alongside all sorts of fish and meat dishes, but the addition of a crispy topping makes it even more wonderful. I like to serve this with the whole roasted sea bass (see here) or fried tofu, as part of an Asian-style feast. Get all your chopping done before you start here: you want everything to be ready to chuck into the pan when it’s hot, rather than be starting to slice things into the shape of a matchstick at this stage.

Serves six as a side

400g Thai sticky rice

1½ tbsp groundnut oil

5cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned (40g)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 red chillies, julienned

30g coriander, cut into 3cm lengths

25g salted and roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 lime, cut into 6 wedges, to serve
salt

1. Put the rice into a medium saucepan, for which you have a well-fitting lid, with ½ teaspoon of salt and 600ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer gently, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, still covered, for 5 minutes.

2. While the rice is cooking, put the oil into a medium frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the ginger, garlic and chillies and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until just starting to brown. Add the coriander, peanuts, sesame seeds and a generous pinch of salt, and continue to fry for 1–2 minutes, until golden-brown. Spoon over the rice and serve, with the wedges of lime alongside.

Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts

Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic

This was my go-to side for a good few months, working well with pretty much anything else on the table. There’s also enough going on, flavour-wise, for it to be lovely as it is, as a main.

Peeling so many garlic cloves won’t win me any ‘simple’ brownie points, I know, but, once done, the simple joy of this dish is that the rice is baked in the oven rather than on the stove. For those who find creating perfectly cooked rice in a pan of simmering water strangely difficult, this will be a revelation. Just make sure the foil is sealed tightly over the dish: you don’t want any steam to escape in the oven.

Serves six as a side or four as a main

800g cherry tomatoes

12 large garlic cloves (or 25 regular), peeled (85g)

4 banana shallots, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces (220g)

25g coriander, cut into 4cm lengths, plus 10g leaves, roughly chopped, to serve

3 tbsp picked thyme leaves (10g)

4 small cinnamon sticks

100ml olive oil

300g basmati rice

600ml boiling water
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.

2. Arrange the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, herbs and cinnamon sticks in a large high-sided casserole dish, about 20 × 30cm. Pour over the olive oil, along with ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper, and place in the oven for 1 hour, until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the rice evenly over the vegetables, without stirring them together, and set aside.

3. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C fan.

4. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper over the rice and then carefully pour the boiling water over the rice. Seal the dish tightly with tin foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes, still covered. Remove the foil, sprinkle over the coriander leaves, stir these very gently into the rice and serve.

Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic

Recipe List

- Rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds

- Soba noodles with lime, cardamom and avocado

- Seaweed spaghetti and sesame salad with tahini dressing

- Pasta alla Norma

- Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

- Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

- Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar
- Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta
- Pasta with pecorino and pistachios
- Anchovy and samphire spaghetti
- Gnocchi alla Romana

Rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds

For anyone who thinks that this list of ingredients looks suspiciously long for a book of simple recipes, I’m actually feeling quite pleased with how I’ve managed to get the list down. My ability to buy up half the stock in an Asian shop when making noodle salads has been well documented in letters from some of my readers over the years, written to the Guardian.

All the elements can be made a few hours in advance – the onion and ginger can be made the day before – and just assembled when ready to serve.

Serves six to eight

60ml cider vinegar

30g caster sugar

1 small red onion, finely sliced (120g)

5cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned (40g)

150g flat rice noodles, broken into roughly 15cm pieces

3 tbsp olive oil

1 Granny Smith apple, core removed, sliced into 2mm thick wedges (120g)

1 large cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthways, watery seeds scooped out and flesh cut into long, thin strips (250g)

2 red chillies, deseeded and julienned

15g mint leaves, picked or roughly chopped

15g tarragon, picked or roughly chopped

1 tbsp poppy seeds
salt

1. Whisk together the vinegar and sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the onion and ginger and stir to coat. Set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring a few times, to soften.

2. Place the noodles in a large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover them. Set aside for 15–20 minutes, until the noodles are soft, then drain well. Mix with 1 tablespoon of oil and set aside in a large bowl to cool down.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the noodles, plus the pickled onion, ginger and juices, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 1½ teaspoons of salt. Mix together well and serve at once.

Rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds

Soba noodles with lime, cardamom and avocado

Scraping the seeds from 12 cardamom pods and crushing them might feel like a bit of a fiddle, just for ½ tsp, but it’s a few minutes well worth spending. Unleashing the fruity, floral and citrusy spice into the dish makes it really quite distinct.

I like to eat this either as it is, for a quick lunch or light supper, or with some prawns or tofu stirred through just before serving. It also works well served alongside some pan-fried salmon or topped with a soft-boiled egg.

Serves four

200g buckwheat noodles (or green tea soba)

12 green cardamom pods

30g basil leaves, picked and roughly chopped

30g coriander leaves, picked and roughly chopped

70g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped

3 limes: finely grate the zest of 2 to get 1 tsp, then juice 2 to get 3 tbsp; slice the final lime into 4 wedges, to serve

3 tbsp groundnut oil

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

2 ripe avocados, cut into ½ cm slices

¼ tsp nigella seeds or Urfa chilli flakes, to sprinkle (optional)

salt

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet (they vary from brand to brand). Once cooked, refresh under cold running water and set aside in a colander to drain well.

2. With the flat side of a knife, crush the cardamom pods to open them up. Scrape the seeds out into a pestle and mortar and discard the outer husks. Crush the seeds – you should get about ½ teaspoon – and place in a large bowl with the noodles. Add the basil, coriander, pistachios, lime zest, lime juice, oil, chilli, avocado and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix everything together well, then divide between four bowls. Spoon any avocado, nuts and herbs left in the bowl on top. Sprinkle over the nigella seeds or chilli flakes, if using, and serve with a wedge of lime alongside.

Soba noodles with lime, cardamom and avocado

Seaweed spaghetti and sesame salad with tahini dressing

Seaweed spaghetti has a similar texture to rice noodles but brings with it a salty kick to the dish. Nanami togarashi is an Asian chilli condiment that works really well here, but regular chilli flakes are a good alternative.

This is lovely as it is, for a light lunch or starter, or served alongside some sticky rice to bulk it out. It also works well with oily fish – pan-fried mackerel or salmon – or grilled prawns.

Serve this as soon as you’ve mixed it together. The cucumber will make it watery if it sits around for too long. The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Serves four

50g seaweed spaghetti

1 large cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out and discarded, flesh cut into long, thin strips (250g)

20g white or black sesame seeds, or a mixture of both, lightly toasted

15g coriander leaves, picked

½ tsp chilli flakes (or nanami togarashi, if you have it)

salt

TAHINI DRESSING

1 tsp honey

1½ tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp mirin

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1½ tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp groundnut oil

1. Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl, whisk well to combine, then set aside.

2. Put the seaweed spaghetti into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until al dente. Drain, refresh under cold water, pat dry and set aside. Place in a large bowl, along with the cucumber, sesame seeds, coriander, dressing and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix together, then divide between the bowls (or arrange in a large serving bowl), sprinkle with chilli flakes and serve at once.

Seaweed spaghetti and sesame salad with tahini dressing

Pasta alla Norma

After a day in the test kitchen, eating all day, there are just a handful of dishes I’m happy to cook and eat once I get home. This is one of them. If you’re getting organised and into batch cooking, double or triple the recipe for the tomato sauce so that this is all ready to go: it keeps in the fridge for 5 days and also freezes well. The aubergine, once roasted, is also happy to sit around (either at room temperature or in the fridge) for a day, if you want to get ahead with this too.

If you see any ricotta salata, do get it to try instead of the pecorino romano. It’s a variation of ricotta which has been pressed, salted and dried: its flavour is both salty and nutty. It’s firmer than standard ricotta and works really well shaved over spaghetti.

Serves four

3 aubergines (900g)

120ml olive oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1–2 mild dried chillies (deseeded if you don’t want the heat)

2 × 400g tins of plum tomatoes

5 large oregano sprigs (8g)

1 tsp caster sugar

300g spaghetti

45g mature pecorino romano (or ricotta salata), shaved

20g basil leaves, torn
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Using a peeler and working from top to bottom of each aubergine, shave off long alternating strips of peel so that they look striped, like zebras. Cut widthways into 1cm thick slices and place in a bowl with 75ml of oil, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix well, then spread out on two large parchment-lined baking trays. Roast for 30–35 minutes, until dark golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is golden-brown. Add the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and a grind of pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Remove the oregano sprigs and stir in the aubergine. Set aside.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, then strain, retaining some cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and mix well, adding two-thirds of the pecorino and basil, and a few tablespoons of the cooking water if the sauce has become too thick.

5. Divide the spaghetti between four shallow bowls, then top with the remaining pecorino, basil and tablespoon of oil, and serve.

Pasta alla Norma

Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

When they are ripe and sweet, buy a big batch of cherry tomatoes, to make double or triple the quantity of sauce. It takes a while to cook – just over an hour – but it keeps in the fridge for 5 days and freezes for up to a month. The ancho chilli adds a lovely smoky richness, but can be replaced by ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika, if you have this to hand rather than ancho. Alternatively, if you don’t want the kick, leave the chilli out altogether.

Serves four

75ml olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1kg cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

½ tsp caster sugar (or a bit more or less, depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes)

1 dried ancho chilli, torn apart

20g basil leaves

400g fettuccine (or spaghetti)

35g Parmesan, finely grated
salt

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and fry for up to 1 minute, stirring a few times, until starting to caramelise. Add the tomatoes – carefully, so that the oil doesn’t spit – along with the sugar, chilli and ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour over 200ml of water and stir for 4 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to break down and the liquid is bubbling. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 1 hour, stirring every once in a while, until the tomatoes and ancho have broken down and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the basil and set aside somewhere warm.

2. Fill a large saucepan with plenty of salted water and place on a high heat. Bring to the boil, then add the pasta. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and stir it together with the sauce. Divide between bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

Pappare means ‘to gobble up’ in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish (particularly in Tara’s house, where her husband Chris makes it most Sunday nights). I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce 3 days ahead if you like and keep in the fridge until needed.

Serves four

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced (220g)

3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (45g)

400g cherry tomatoes, halved

55g pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half

20g baby capers

15g parsley, roughly chopped

500g dried pappardelle pasta (or another wide, flat pasta)

120g Greek-style yoghurt
salt

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelised. Add the harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers and ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add 200ml of water and stir through. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid of the sauce and continue to cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in 10g of the parsley and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain well.

3. Return the pasta to the pot along with the harissa sauce and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix together well, then divide between four shallow bowls. Serve hot, with a spoonful of yoghurt and a final sprinkle of parsley.

Pictured here with Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar (here)

Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers & Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar

Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar

Gigli means ‘lilies’ in Italian, and their floral wavy edges are a great vehicle for the chickpeas and anchovies in the sauce. Orecchiette (ears) or conchiglie (shells), are also good for scooping and work really well here too.

Serves four

45ml olive oil, plus extra to serve

½ onion, finely chopped (100g)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ground cumin

10g thyme leaves, finely chopped

25g anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (about 7)

1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½, then juice to get 2 tbsp

2 × 400g tins of cooked chickpeas, drained (480g)

1 tsp soft brown sugar

400ml chicken stock

200g gigli pasta (or conchiglie or orecchiette)

50g baby spinach leaves

15g parsley, roughly chopped

1½ tsp za’atar
salt and black pepper

1. Put the olive oil into a large sauté pan and place on a high heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, thyme, anchovies, lemon skin, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Reduce the heat to medium high, then add the chickpeas and sugar and fry for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown and crisp up. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer for 6 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside. You can make this in advance, if you like, and warm through before serving.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. Stir the spinach and parsley into the chickpeas: the residual heat of the sauce should cook the spinach, but if it doesn’t wilt, just warm the chickpeas gently on the stove. Transfer the pasta to the pan of chickpeas and stir to combine. Divide between four bowls and sprinkle the za’atar on top. Finish with a drizzle of oil, and serve.

Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar

Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta

The combination of prawns, feta, tomatoes and pasta is one that I love. I return to it time and again, for easy one-pot suppers. Orzo is the little pasta that comes in the shape of rice. It’s easy to eat a lot of and widely available. If you start with prawns in their shell then keep a few heads on, for the look. The marinated feta is lovely dotted over salads, so I tend to make a batch to keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Serves four

200g feta, broken into 1–2cm pieces

½ tsp chilli flakes

4 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

75ml olive oil

250g orzo

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 strips of finely shaved orange skin

1 × 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

500ml vegetable stock

400g raw shell-off prawns

30g basil leaves, roughly shredded
salt and black pepper

1. In a medium bowl, mix the feta with ¼ teaspoon of the chilli flakes, 2 teaspoons of the fennel seeds and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Set aside while you cook the orzo.

2. Place a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, on a medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, orzo, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Return the pan to the same heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes and 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds, the garlic and the orange skin. Fry for 1 minute, until the garlic starts to lightly brown, then add the tomatoes, stock, 200ml of water, ¾ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until boiling, then stir in the fried orzo. Cover, then lower the heat to medium low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout so the orzo is cooked. Remove the lid and cook for a further 1–2 minutes, until the consistency is like a risotto. Stir in the prawns for 2–3 minutes until they are pink and cooked. Stir in the basil and serve at once, with the marinated feta sprinkled on top.

Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta

Pasta with pecorino and pistachios

Trofie is the traditional pasta to serve with pesto, but fusilli works just as well. For an extra twist of colour and flavour, stir through some oven-dried tomatoes. Slice 400g cherry tomatoes in half, toss with 1 tbsp oil and some seasoning, and roast at 150°C fan for 40 minutes, until semi-dried and slightly caramelised. If you do a batch of these tomatoes they will keep well for up to a week, in a sealed container in the fridge, ready to be thrown in with all sorts of other salads and grains.

Serves four as a starter

50g basil leaves

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained

75ml olive oil

200g dried trofie pasta (or fusilli)

130g mangetout, finely sliced on an angle

75g pecorino, finely shaved

75g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp
salt and black pepper

1. Place 30g of the basil in the small bowl of a food processor with the garlic, anchovies and olive oil. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.

2. Half fill a large saucepan with salted water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for about 7 minutes, until nearly al dente. Add the mangetout and cook together for another 2 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked and the mangetout are soft.

3. Retaining 2 tablespoons of water, drain the pasta and mangetout and place in a large bowl. Add the basil oil and stir well. Add the pecorino, pistachios, lemon zest, the remaining 20g of basil, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Toss gently to combine, and serve.

Pasta with pecorino and pistachios

Anchovy and samphire spaghetti

Both samphire and anchovy pack a really salty punch. Combining the two results in a simple little dish which delivers big on flavour. Thanks to Claudia Lazarus.

Serves four

75ml olive oil

30g anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (about 8 or 9)

1½ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes, plus extra to serve (or use half the amount of regular chilli flakes)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then cut into 4 wedges to serve

20g parsley, finely chopped

100ml dry white wine

250g spaghetti

250g samphire
salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the anchovies, chilli flakes, garlic, lemon zest, half the parsley and a good grind of pepper. Fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the anchovies have melted into the oil. Pour in the wine and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, then remove from the heat and set aside while you cook the pasta.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Thirty seconds before the spaghetti is ready, add the samphire (to the same pan the pasta is cooking in). Reserve a couple of ladles of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and samphire. Return the sauté pan of sauce to a medium high heat. Add the cooked spaghetti and samphire and toss to combine. If you need to loosen, add a little of the reserved pasta water. Stir through the remaining parsley and another good grind of pepper, then divide between four plates.

3. Finish with a sprinkling of the extra Aleppo chilli flakes and serve, with a lemon wedge on the side.

Anchovy and samphire spaghetti

Gnocchi alla Romana

Comfort food does not get any more comforting than this. Serve this as it is, or with a crisp green salad. It’s the ultimate family dish: I’ve yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love it or an adult who doesn’t think it perfect with a glass of red wine. Make this up to the point it goes in the oven if you like and keep in the fridge for 1 day before baking.

Serves eight as a starter (or eight kids)

80g unsalted butter

1 litre whole milk

250g semolina (either fine or coarse)

1 tsp finely grated nutmeg

100g Parmesan, finely grated

2 egg yolks

40g mature Cheddar, finely grated
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Place on a medium high heat. Once the butter has melted and the milk is simmering, remove from the heat and whisk in the semolina, nutmeg, Parmesan and egg yolks until smooth and combined. Return to the heat and whisk continuously until thickened. Continue to stir for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes: don’t leave it for longer, it’ll set too much and break a little when rolled.

3. Lay two large pieces of cling film on your work surface – about 30 × 40cm – and spoon half the mixture on to each piece. Roll to form 2 sausages – each about 4cm wide and about 38cm long – and keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until set. Remove and discard the cling film, and cut each sausage into round slices 1½cm thick. Arrange the slices in a shallow baking dish, about 23 × 33cm, in rows that slightly overlap. Sprinkle with Cheddar and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

4. Turn the oven to its highest grill setting and place the gnocchi about 10cm beneath the heat. Grill for 2–3 minutes, until the top is golden-brown, and set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Gnocchi alla Romana

Recipe List

- Lamb and feta meatballs
- Beef sirloin and basil salad
- Lamb siniyah

- Grilled lamb fillet with almonds and orange blossom

- Lamb bake with tahini sauce and tomatoes

- Lamb arayes with tahini and sumac

- Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin

- Lamb and pistachio patties with sumac yoghurt sauce

- Spiced ‘shepherd’s pie’ with butterbean crust

- Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing

- Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

- Ricotta and oregano meatballs

- Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce

- Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon
- Chicken Marbella
- Chicken with miso, ginger and lime

- Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine

- Seeded chicken schnitzel

- Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

Lamb and feta meatballs

These work either as a main course, in a pitta or with some rice and vegetables, or eaten as they are as a canapé before supper. If you do this, you’ll make double the number of balls and they’ll need less cooking: 3–4 minutes in the pan, then 3 minutes in the oven to warm through. Once they’ve come out of the pan, put them on individual cocktail sticks at that stage: the wood will be fine in the oven for such a short time, then they’ll be ready to serve. The pomegranate molasses is a delicious addition, with its distinct sweet-sharpness, but don’t worry if you don’t have it: they’re still great without. These can be fried up to 6 hours in advance and warmed through for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers can also be eaten the next day, either at room temperature or warmed through.

Serves six

500g minced lamb

100g feta, crumbled into 1cm pieces

2 tbsp picked thyme leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed

10g parsley, finely chopped

1–2 slices of white bread, crust removed and blitzed in a food processor (45g)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)

salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Put the mince into a large bowl with the feta, thyme, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well to combine, then form into about 18 balls (or 36, if making them for a canapé): they should all be about 4cm wide and weigh about 35g.

3. Put the oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning them over carefully throughout until golden-brown on all sides. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking tray, drizzle with the pomegranate molasses, if using, and bake for 5 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot.

Lamb and feta meatballs

Beef sirloin and basil salad

This works either as an impressive starter or as a lunch or light supper. All the elements can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge, just don’t put the dish together until you’re just about to serve: the leaves will wilt and the croutons don’t like to sit around and mingle for too long.

Serves four

50g basil leaves

1 garlic clove, crushed

135ml olive oil

400g beef sirloin (2 steaks, each about 1½cm thick)

2 pitta breads, roughly torn into 3cm pieces (120g)

2 red chicory, leaves separated, then sliced in half, lengthways, on the diagonal (160g)

40g rocket

3 tbsp lemon juice

60g Parmesan, shaved
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place half the basil in the small bowl of a food processor with the garlic, 75ml of oil and ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Blitz to form a thick dressing and set aside.

3. Season the beef well with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a medium frying pan and place on a high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the beef and sear for 3–4 minutes (for medium-rare), turning halfway through. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

4. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the same pan and place on a high heat. When hot, add the pitta bread and fry for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until golden and crisp all over. Transfer to a paper-lined plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside.

5. Place the chicory, rocket, lemon juice, Parmesan, basil oil and remaining basil leaves in a large serving bowl and set aside.

6. When ready to serve, slice the beef against the grain into ½cm thick slices. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and add to the salad bowl. Add the pitta pieces, toss gently and serve at once.

Beef sirloin and basil salad

Lamb siniyah

This is the Middle Eastern equivalent of shepherd’s pie, with a tahini crust standing in for the layer of mashed potato. It’s a rich and comforting dish, making a star of both the tahini and the stewed lamb.

The stew can be made well in advance – a day or two ahead, if kept in the fridge or frozen – ready for the tahini sauce and baking. Serve with bulgur or rice.

Serves four to six

60ml olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped (250g)

4 medium celery sticks, finely sliced (250g)

1 tsp tomato paste

1 tbsp baharat spice mix

1kg stewing lamb (shoulder, leg or neck), cut into 2cm chunks

500g plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tsp paprika

60g pine nuts, toasted

40g parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper

TAHINI SAUCE

200g tahini

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

1. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a 20cm wide casserole pan and place on a medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft. Add the tomato paste and baharat, cook for another 2 minutes, then tip into a large bowl. Keep the pan as it is: you don’t need to rinse or wipe it.

2. Season the lamb with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Add 1½ teaspoons of oil to the same pan and place on a medium high heat. Add a quarter of the lamb and fry for 3 minutes, turning throughout so that all sides get browned. Transfer to the bowl of onions and repeat with the remaining lamb, adding 1½ teaspoons of oil to the pan with each batch. Return all the lamb and vegetables to the pan and stir in two-thirds of the tomatoes, the paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low and then simmer gently for about 70 minutes, covered, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick. Check the pan during cooking to make sure the meat is not sticking to the base and, if it is, just add a bit of water and give it a good stir. Mix in the pine nuts, parsley and remaining tomatoes and set aside.

3. About 10 minutes before the meat is ready, preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

4. To make the tahini sauce, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 160ml of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. The consistency should be pourable – thick like double cream – so add a bit more water if you need to. Pour this evenly over the lamb and bake, covered, for 20 minutes, until the tahini sauce has thickened. Uncover the pan and bake for another 20 minutes, uncovered, for the tahini crust to turn golden-brown.

5. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes and then serve.

Lamb siniyah

Grilled lamb fillet with almonds and orange blossom

This is a great dish for feeding friends, as you can get much of the work done in advance. The day before, the meat can be seared, the peppers can be grilled, and the sauce can be made: just hold back on the mint, as this will discolour. Keep everything in the fridge and when ready to serve, just finish off the meat in the oven and add the mint to the sauce.

If you’re searing the meat in advance and keeping it in the fridge until cooking, make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you cook it: it needs to be room temperature rather than fridge-cold. Also note the longer amount of time it will need in the oven to warm through – 15 minutes rather than 3 or 4.

I cook this on the barbecue during the summer, but instructions here are for a stove top. I also tend to make more nuts than I need and sprinkle them over all sorts of other things: roasted cauliflower or a plate of roasted peppers work particularly well.

Serves six

6 garlic cloves, crushed

5 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 1 tbsp, then juice them all to get 150ml

3 tbsp picked thyme leaves

180ml olive oil

1kg lamb neck fillets (about 8 fillets)

170g almonds (skin on)

1 tbsp honey

½ tsp orange blossom water

3 red peppers, cut into quarters, seeds removed (370g)

20g mint leaves, finely chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Put the garlic into a large bowl with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, 90ml of lemon juice, all the thyme, 90ml of olive oil, 1½ teaspoons of salt and a really good grind of pepper. Add the lamb, mix very well, then leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to marinate.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan or frying pan and add the almonds. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the nuts are golden-brown and evenly cooked. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Roughly chop the nuts and put them into a bowl: the cooking oil can be discarded. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the nuts along with the remaining 60ml of lemon juice, the honey, orange blossom water, ½ teaspoon of salt, a good grind of black pepper and 3 tablespoons of oil. Mix well and set aside until ready to serve.

3. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

4. Place a large ridged griddle pan on a high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Drizzle the red peppers with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt and place on the griddle. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until charred on both sides.

5. Put the lamb pieces on the piping-hot griddle (keep hold of the marinade) and cook for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through, so that both sides are charred and starting to caramelise. If you are serving straight away, transfer the lamb to a roasting tray, along with the peppers, and roast for 3–4 minutes for medium-rare or a few minutes longer if you like it well cooked. If you are cooking the lamb from room temperature (having kept it in the fridge after searing), it will need 15 minutes in the oven at this stage. Either way, timings will depend on the thickness of the meat. Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the oven, cover the tray with tin foil and leave to rest for 5–10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium–high heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.

7. When you are ready to serve, carve the lamb into 1cm thick slices and arrange on a platter with the red peppers. Spoon over the marinade, add the freshly chopped mint to the almond sauce and spoon some on top. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

Middle Eastern feast (see here)

Lamb bake with tahini sauce and tomatoes

This can be served two ways. Either as it is, warm, as part of a main meal, or left to cool and set, then cut into thick slices. This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. These slices are great piled into a sandwich or warm pitta bread, with the tahini sauce and grated tomato drizzled on top. Either way, it’s a super family-friendly recipe.

Makes one loaf, serving six to eight

1 courgette, roughly chopped (160g)

1 carrot, roughly chopped (100g)

1 large onion, roughly chopped (180g)

3 tomatoes, 1 roughly chopped, 2 coarsely grated and skin discarded (180g)

500g lamb mince, at least 20% fat

4 garlic cloves, crushed

80g pecorino, finely grated

50g fresh breadcrumbs (from 2 slices)

2 large eggs

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground allspice

100g tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan and grease a 20 × 10cm loaf tin with a little oil.

2. Place the courgette, carrot, onion and chopped tomato in the bowl of a food processor and blitz to combine: you want the consistency to be similar to that of the mince. Transfer the vegetables to a sieve set over a bowl and squeeze them to get rid of as much liquid as possible. Put the vegetables into a large bowl with the lamb mince, 2 of the garlic cloves, all the pecorino, breadcrumbs, eggs, tomato paste, spices and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture together until well combined, then transfer to the loaf tin.

3. Place the loaf tin inside a high-sided baking dish. Carefully fill the baking dish with enough boiling water to rise halfway up the sides of the loaf tin. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until golden-brown.

4. While the meatloaf is cooking, prepare the tahini sauce. Put the tahini, the remaining garlic cloves, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt into a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 70ml of water until you get a smooth, thick sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.

5. Once the meatloaf has cooked, remove the tin from the water bath and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Drain away and discard the liquid and fat from the loaf tin, then, using a wide spatula, transfer the meatloaf to a platter. Pour a third of the tahini sauce over the meatloaf, followed by a third of the grated tomato.

6. Serve either warm, with the remaining tahini and tomato alongside, or leave to cool and cut into slices to serve in pitta bread.

Lamb bake with tahini sauce and tomatoes

Lamb arayes with tahini and sumac

Arayes are lamb stuffed flatbreads popular across the Middle East. They’re traditionally made with pitta bread but I’ve used tortillas here. They’re great for lunch or as a snack before supper, served with a fresh chopped salad or some sumac yoghurt. They’re quick and easy to make, but if you want to make things even quicker and easier, the filling can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge. You’re then all set to just fill and fry. Thanks to Sami Tamimi, for bringing these (along with so many other tasty things) to the ongoing feast.

Makes eight, serving four

8 plain or corn tortillas (20cm wide)

60ml olive oil, plus 2 tsp for brushing

1 tbsp sumac

FILLING

500g lamb mince

½ small onion, coarsely grated (60g)

2 tomatoes, coarsely grated and skin discarded (140g)

1 tsp ground allspice

90g tahini

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp pomegranate molasses

20g mint, finely shredded

80g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
salt

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the filling – apart from the cheese – in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt. Taking one tortilla at a time, spoon about 100g of filling over half the tortilla, leaving ½cm clear around the edges. Sprinkle the meat lightly with 10g of cheese and then fold the tortilla over, to make a semi-circle. Press down gently so that the meat is evenly spread and about 1 or 1½cm thick. Continue with the remaining tortillas, meat and cheese in the same way.

2. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a large non-stick frying pan and place on a medium low heat. Once hot, add two of the folded tortillas and fry gently for 2–3 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the tortilla is golden-brown on both sides and the meat is cooked through. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside. Using kitchen paper, wipe the pan clean of all the lamb juices and continue in the same way with the remaining oil and tortillas.

3. Mix the 2 teaspoons of oil with the sumac. Brush lightly over the tops of the arayes, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin

This is a feast of a meal, served with something like butterbeans – gently mashed with the cooking juices from the lamb – and a simple green salad. Get the lamb marinating overnight in the fridge, if you can, for the flavours to really seep into the meat – 4 or 5 hours is also fine, though, if you’re planning to eat it on the day of cooking, but you’ll have to get going first thing: it also needs 6½ hours in the oven. If you want to really get ahead, the lamb can also be cooked a day in advance and kept in the fridge, ready to be shredded and warmed up in its own juices.

Serves four to six

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 1 tbsp, then juice to get 4 tbsp

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp paprika

½ tsp fenugreek seeds, lightly crushed

2 tsp ground cumin

25g mint leaves

15g coriander

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large lamb shoulder (2kg)

1 celeriac, peeled and cut into 3cm wide wedges (850g)

5 large carrots, peeled and chopped in half widthways (600g)

2 heads of garlic, sliced in half widthways
salt and black pepper

1. Place the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, spices, herbs and oil in the small bowl of a food processor with 1½ teaspoons of salt and plenty of pepper. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.

2. Place the lamb in a large bowl and skewer the meat all over about 30 times with a small sharp knife. Rub the spice paste all over the meat, massaging it into the incisions. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight, ideally) for the flavours to develop.

3. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

4. Transfer the lamb, along with all the marinade, into a large high-sided baking dish, about 30 × 40cm. Cover the tray tightly with tin foil and roast for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to 160°C fan, and add the celeriac, carrots and garlic heads (cut side up) to the tray. Continue to roast for 4 hours, basting the meat and vegetables three or four times during cooking (and re-sealing the tray with foil each time). Remove the foil and return for a final 1½ hours, until the lamb is browned all over, the meat is falling apart and the vegetables are caramelised.

Lamb and pistachio patties with sumac yoghurt sauce

These patties are lovely as a snack or as part of a feast at a barbecue. If you want to make them into a more substantial meal, however, just serve them with some rocket leaves tossed with olive oil, lemon juice and shaved Parmesan. The yoghurt sauce can be made the day before. The patties will keep in the fridge for 1 day uncooked, or they can be cooked up to 6 hours in advance, ready to be warmed through for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers are also good the next day, at room temperature or warmed through.

Makes about 20 patties, to serve four as a main or six as a snack

60g pistachio kernels

25g rocket leaves

1 onion, quartered (150g)

1 large garlic clove, peeled

500g lamb mince
about 3 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper

SUMAC YOGHURT SAUCE

250g Greek-style yoghurt

1 tbsp sumac

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the sumac yoghurt sauce and keep in the fridge until needed.

2. To make the patties, put the pistachios into the small bowl of a food processor. Blitz for a few seconds, to roughly chop, then put into a medium bowl. Add the rocket to the processor, blitz for a few seconds to roughly chop, then add to the bowl of pistachios. Continue with the onion and garlic, to form a smooth paste, and add to the bowl. Add the lamb, 1 tablespoon of oil, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well to combine, then, with wet hands, shape the mix into about 20 patties. They should each be about 5cm wide, 2cm thick and weigh about 40g.

3. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a large non-stick frying pan and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the patties – as many as you can fit without overcrowding the pan – and cook for 7 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden-brown and just cooked through. Keep warm while you repeat with the remaining patties. If you need to, add another tablespoon of oil to the pan during the process. When they are all cooked, pile all the patties on to a large platter and serve, with the sumac yoghurt alongside.

Lamb and pistachio patties with sumac yoghurt sauce

Spiced ‘shepherd’s pie’ with butterbean crust

If lamb siniyah (see here) is a Middle Eastern take on the shepherd’s pie, then this is my North African take, with a butterbean mash standing in for the potatoes. It’s rich, comforting and hearty, needing little more than a green salad or roasted carrots alongside. Make this up to 2 days in advance, to the point where it goes in the oven. If baked straight from the fridge it will need an extra 5–10 minutes. Without the butterbean mash, it can be frozen for 1 month.

Serves six

90ml olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 banana shallots, thinly sliced (180g)

600g lamb mince

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground allspice

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (45g)

100g dried apricots, quartered

280ml chicken stock

220ml white wine

80g pitted green olives, halved lengthways

670g cooked butterbeans (either 3 × 400g tins, drained, or 400g uncooked beans, soaked overnight and cooked)

4 tbsp tahini
salt and black pepper

1. Put 3 tablespoons of oil into a large, heavy-based pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden. Increase the heat to high and add the lamb, cumin, allspice, half the lemon zest and ½ teaspoon of salt. Fry for 5 minutes, until browned, stirring every now and then, then add the tomato paste, harissa and apricots. Fry for another 2 minutes, then pour over the stock and wine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Once cooked, set aside to cool, then add the olives. Spoon into a 20 × 25cm ovenproof high-sided dish and refrigerate for at least half an hour. This will firm the meat up, making it easier to spread the mash on top.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

3. To make the mash, mix the butterbeans in a bowl with the remaining lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the tahini paste, 3 tablespoons of water, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Use a potato masher to mash the beans; they don’t need to be completely smooth, just spreadable. Spread the mash over the lamb, then use a spoon to make a few shallow dips. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake for 30 minutes until nicely coloured and bubbly. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing

Arnold Rogow was a family friend of Ixta Belfrage, who tested a lot of the Ottolenghi SIMPLE recipes with Esme. Ixta has a habit of giving all the credit to others, including the inspiration behind this dish, but I’ve no doubt Arnold would have been calling this ‘Ixta’s roast chicken’. Make the stuffing and prep the chicken up to a day ahead, just keep in the fridge and bring to room temperature before roasting.

Serves four

70g unsalted butter

5 tsp caraway seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

7 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 whole chicken (about 1.4kg)

3–4 large celery sticks, cut into 1cm dice (300g)

1 onion, cut into 1cm dice (140g)

100g dried cranberries

100g ready-cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped

4–5 slices of mixed rye and wheat sourdough bread, crusts removed, lightly toasted, then roughly torn into 2cm pieces (100g)

15g parsley, roughly chopped

120ml chicken stock
salt and black pepper

1. To make the marinade, melt 30g of butter and stir in 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds, 2 garlic cloves, the sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Place the chicken in a large bowl, rub the marinade all over it and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan.

3. To make the stuffing, put the remaining 40g of butter into a large non-stick pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the remaining 5 garlic cloves, the celery, onion, cranberries, chestnuts and 1 teaspoon of salt. Fry for 12–13 minutes, stirring often, until golden and softened. Tip into a medium bowl and stir in the bread, parsley and stock.

4. Transfer the chicken to a small roasting tray. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a grind of pepper and fill the cavity with the stuffing. Place any leftover stuffing in an ovenproof dish and put it into the oven half an hour before the chicken is ready.

5. Roast the chicken for 70–75 minutes, basting every 20 minutes or so, until the skin is golden-brown and crisp and the juices run clear when a knife is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

I often say that my favourite food is the sort that can, at once, comfort, surprise and delight. This dish (as is often the case with meatballs) does all these things for me. The meatballs have all the comfort of a home-cooked meal, with the lemon and celeriac providing the surprise and delight. These are lovely as they are, served with some couscous or rice to soak up the juices, or with a little bit of Greek-style yoghurt on the side. The dish can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. Reheat before serving.

Serves four

400g beef mince

1 medium onion, finely chopped (140g)

120g freshly made breadcrumbs (from 4 slices of crustless white bread)

20g parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 large egg, beaten

¾ tsp ground allspice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small celeriac, peeled, quartered, then each quarter cut widthways into fan slices, 1cm thick (400g)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp ground turmeric

1½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

500ml chicken stock

3½ tbsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper

1. Put the beef mince, onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, allspice, ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper into a large bowl. Using your hands, mix together well, then form into about 20 balls. Each ball should weigh about 40g.

2. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a high heat. Add the meatballs and sear for about 5 minutes, turning throughout so that all sides are golden-brown. Transfer the meatballs to a separate plate, and add the celeriac, garlic and remaining spices to the pan. Cook on a high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the garlic has taken on a bit of colour and the spices smell aromatic. Return the meatballs to the pan and add the stock, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently on a medium low heat, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and leave to bubble away for about 10 minutes, for the sauce to thicken up.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Serve, along with a final sprinkle of parsley.

Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

Ricotta and oregano meatballs

Using ricotta makes the meatballs super light and fluffy. The dish can be made a day in advance, kept in the fridge, and then reheated.

Serves four

60ml olive oil

2 large onions, chopped (330g)

4 garlic cloves, crushed

20g oregano leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve

1 × 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

500ml chicken stock

500g beef mince

100g freshly made breadcrumbs (from 3–4 slices of crustless white bread)

250g ricotta

60g Parmesan, grated

1 large egg, beaten

20g parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper

1. First make the tomato sauce. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add half the onion, half the garlic and half the oregano and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring until the onions have softened without taking on colour. Add the tomatoes, half the stock, ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Reduce the temperature to medium and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring from time to time, to thicken the sauce.

2. Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Place the remaining onion, garlic and oregano in a large bowl along with the beef, breadcrumbs, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, ¾ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Using your hands, mix everything together and shape into 12–14 balls.

3. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a large frying pan and, when hot, add the meatballs (you will need to do this in two batches, adding another tablespoon of oil to the pan for the next batch). Sear for 8 minutes, turning throughout, then transfer to a separate plate.

4. Gently lower the meatballs into the sauce and pour over enough of the remaining stock so that the meatballs are almost covered. Add a little water, if you need, to make up the liquid. Place on a medium low heat and simmer very gently, covered, for 30 minutes. To thicken the sauce – it should have the consistency of a thick pasta sauce – remove the lid towards the end of cooking and increase the temperature a little. Remove from the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Add extra oregano and serve.

Ricotta and oregano meatballs

Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce

This is a great dish to feed friends, if you like knowing that all the work which needs doing is done well before anyone arrives. The pepper sauce can be made a day ahead. You can also marinate the meat for a day and it can be seared in advance too. Keep separate in the fridge, and bring everything back to room temperature before serving or cooking and the meal can be on the table 15 minutes after the stove goes on. This works well with the oven-roasted chips with oregano and feta (see here) and a crisp green salad.

Serves four

2 large beef sirloin steaks, trimmed (600g)

1½ tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (23g)

2 large red or yellow peppers (400g)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 × 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

½ tsp chilli flakes

¼ tsp paprika

1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded, skin and flesh roughly chopped (25g)

10g parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

1 lemon, quartered, to serve
flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the beef in a bowl and add the harissa, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and some black pepper. Brush or rub the harissa into the meat, then leave to marinate for at least an hour (or in the fridge if you are marinating overnight). If leaving in the fridge, be sure to bring the sirloins back to room temperature before they get cooked.

2. To make the sauce, preheat the oven to its highest grill setting and cook the peppers for 20–25 minutes, turning twice, until charred all over. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film, then, once cool enough to handle, peel the peppers and cut into long, thin strips. Discard the skin and seeds.

3. Put the oil into a medium frying pan and place on a medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, paprika, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and some black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 7 minutes, then add the strips of pepper, the preserved lemon and parsley. Cook for another 7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens but is still easy to pour. Set aside to come to room temperature.

4. Place a frying pan on a high heat. Once smoking hot, add the steaks and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning over halfway, until caramelised on both sides. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with a good pinch of flaked salt and rest for 10 minutes.

5. Serve the meat warm or at room temperature, sliced into 1cm thick strips, with the sauce spooned on top or alongside. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon alongside.

Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce

Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon

I’m not the first to combine lemon, garlic and chicken – and I won’t be the last – but sometimes it’s good to be reminded that the classics are classics for a reason. Roasting a chicken is the ultimate simple dish: it’s easy, quick, fills the house with delicious smells and everyone loves the result. You can prep the chicken 4–5 hours in advance if you like, and then just place in the oven when ready to cook.

Serves four

70g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 tbsp thyme leaves

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded, flesh and skin roughly chopped (30g)

1 lemon: zest finely grated, plus 1½ tbsp juice, to drizzle

1 whole chicken (1.5kg)

salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan.

2. Place the butter, thyme, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper in a food processor. Blitz to combine.

3. With the chicken’s legs pointing towards you, use your hands to loosen the skin away from the breasts and spread most of the butter mixture evenly under the skin and over the breasts. Spread the remaining butter over the legs.

4. Place the chicken in a medium high-sided baking tray, drizzle with the lemon juice and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Roast for roughly 70 minutes, basting every 20 minutes or so, until the skin is golden-brown and crisp and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a small knife.

5. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon

Chicken Marbella

This is a dish I regularly cook for friends. All the work is done in advance – you can marinate it for up to 2 days in the fridge – and then it’s just into the baking tray and into the oven when you’re ready. The chicken loves the long marination but it can also be cooked straight away, if you don’t have the time. If you’re going to do this, just season the chicken with the teaspoon of salt and pepper (which would otherwise go into the marinade), rub it thoroughly into the skin before combining it with the rest of the marinade ingredients (no more salt required) and bake according to the recipe. I like to use chicken legs but others prefer chicken supremes, on the bone, which also work very well. Thanks to Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins’s The Silver Palate, whose recipe for Chicken Marbella inspired this recipe.

Serves four generously

8 chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached, skin on and scored 3 or 4 times to the bone (2kg)

5 garlic cloves, crushed

15g fresh oregano, picked, plus extra to serve

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

100g pitted green olives

60g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices

120g Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthways

2 bay leaves

120ml dry white wine

1 tbsp date molasses (or treacle)

salt and black pepper

1. Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1–2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

3. Spread the chicken legs out on a high-sided medium baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting two or three times, until the meat is golden-brown on top and cooked through.

4. Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

Chicken Marbella

Chicken with miso, ginger and lime

This dish is lovely either warm from the oven – served with sticky or basmati rice – or at room temperature. If you want to get ahead, and are cooking it the day before, keep it in the fridge overnight and take it out half an hour before serving: you don’t want it fridge-cold.

Serves six

8 chicken legs (skin on and bone in), skin scored a few times (1.4kg)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2½ tbsp mirin

2½ tbsp maple syrup

2½ tbsp soy sauce

80g white miso

4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (30g)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lime: skin shaved into fine strips, then juiced

40g coriander stems, cut into 6cm lengths

2 red chillies, sliced in half lengthways and deseeded (if you want a milder heat)

10 spring onions: 8 sliced in half lengthways, 2 finely sliced, to serve (120g)

salt

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Place the chicken legs in a large bowl with the oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix together and set aside.

3. Place a large frying pan on a medium high heat. Once hot, add half the chicken legs, skin side down, and sear for 4–5 minutes, until golden-brown. Turn over, cook for another 4–5 minutes, then remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken, discarding the fat as you go, and set aside.

4. Place the mirin, maple syrup, soy sauce, miso, ginger, garlic, lime strips and juice in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add the chicken and stir well, so that everything is coated. Put the coriander stems, chillies and the 8 halved spring onions into a high-sided baking dish (about 24 × 36cm) and place the chicken on top, skin side up. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the chicken legs over (skin side down), and return the dish to the oven for 30 minutes uncovered, turning the legs back over halfway through (skin side up) and basting a couple of times. The chicken will be golden-brown, sticky and tender, and the chillies and spring onions will be soft.

5. To serve, place a chicken leg on each plate and surround it with the coriander, chilli and halved spring onions. Finally, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle over the finely sliced spring onions.

Chicken with miso, ginger and lime

Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine

This is one of my go-to easy suppers. Get all your chopping for the things which go in with the pork done before you turn on the stove. Once the heat is on, you’ll want to be throwing things in the pan and stirring, rather than being under pressure to chop. You can make the pork up to a day in advance – keep in the fridge and warm through before serving. Serve as it is or with plain rice or noodles.

Serves four

3 aubergines, cut into 3cm dice (950g)

60ml groundnut oil

2–3 bunches of spring onions, chopped on an angle into 3cm slices (250g)

7cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned (60g)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 green chilli, finely sliced, with seeds

500g pork mince

3 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp dark soy sauce (avoid ‘premium’ dark soy sauce, which is too dominant for the dish)

2 tbsp keçap manis

1 tsp sesame oil

1½ tbsp rice vinegar

15g coriander, roughly chopped

60g roasted and salted peanuts

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
salt

1. Place the aubergines in a large bowl with 1½ teaspoons of salt. Mix well, then transfer to a steaming basket (or a colander which can sit over a large saucepan) and set aside.

2. Fill a large saucepan with enough water to rise 3cm up the side. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then place the steamer (or colander) in the pan. Cover with the lid or seal well with tin foil, to prevent the steam escaping. Reduce the temperature to medium high and steam for 12 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, pour half the groundnut oil into a large sauté pan and place on a high heat. Add the spring onions, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic starts to colour. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Pour the remaining oil into the pan and add the pork mince. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring to break up the meat. Add the mirin, soy sauce, keçap manis, sesame oil, rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then return the spring onion mixture to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat – there should be plenty of liquid – and stir through 10g of the coriander and the peanuts. Serve with the aubergine, sesame seeds and remaining coriander.

Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine

Seeded chicken schnitzel

If you get hooked on this simple supper dish – and I believe the chances are pretty good – make an extra batch of the seed and breadcrumb mix. It keeps well in an airtight container for about a month, and is really useful to have at hand. It works as well on strips of white fish or batons of butternut squash as it does on the chicken.

Serves four

4 skinless chicken breasts, each piece cut into 3 long strips (600g)

50g plain flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

80g panko crumbs

60g white sesame seeds

25g black sesame seeds (or extra white, if not available)

40g sunflower seeds, roughly chopped

1½ tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp cayenne pepper
about 100ml sunflower oil, for frying

1 lemon, quartered, to serve
salt and black pepper

1. Place the meat between two bits of cling film, then, one at a time, gently flatten them with a rolling pin: they should end up about 1cm thick.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour with ¼ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper.

3. Put the eggs into a second bowl.

4. In a third bowl, mix together the panko, all the seeds, the turmeric, cayenne and ¾ teaspoon of salt.

5. Dip each bit of chicken into the flour and gently shake off the excess. Now dip it into the egg, then into the seed mix to coat well. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

6. Put enough oil into a large frying pan to rise ½cm up the sides and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken, in batches, and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning halfway through, until cooked through and golden-brown on both sides. Transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate while you continue with the remaining batch, and serve hot, with the wedges of lemon alongside.

Seeded chicken schnitzel

Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

This is a wonderful meal on an autumn day, served with a crisp green salad. The slow-cooked chicken is packed full of flavour and the crust – gluten-free, rich and corny – makes for a welcome (and lighter) change to a heavier mash.

You can make the chicken well in advance if you want to get ahead: it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or can be frozen for 1 month. You want it to go into the oven defrosted, though, so it will need thawing out of the freezer. The batter needs to be made fresh and spooned on top of the chicken just before the dish gets baked, but it then can just go back in the oven. It can also be baked a few hours in advance – just warm through for 10 minutes, covered in foil, before serving. I love the combination of the chicken and the corn, but the chicken also works well as it is, served on top of rice, in a wrap or with a buttery jacket potato.

Serves six

3 tbsp olive oil

3 red onions, thinly sliced (500g)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (60g)

2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

850g chicken thighs, skinless and boneless (about 9–10 thighs)

200ml passata

5 large tomatoes, quartered (400g)

200g jarred roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 2cm thick rounds

15g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

20g coriander, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

SWEETCORN BATTER

70g unsalted butter, melted

500g corn kernels, fresh or frozen and defrosted (shaved corn kernels from 4 large corn cobs, if starting from fresh)

3 tbsp whole milk

3 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, on a medium high heat. Add the onions and fry for 8–9 minutes, stirring a few times, until caramelised and soft. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, harissa, paprika, chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the passata and tomatoes. Pour over 350ml of water, bring to the boil, then simmer on a medium heat, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

2. Add the peppers and chocolate and continue to simmer for another 35–40 minutes, with the pan now uncovered, stirring frequently, until the sauce is getting thick and the chicken is falling apart. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander. If you are serving the chicken as it is (as a stew without the batter), it’s ready to serve (or freeze, once it’s come to room temperature) at this stage. If you are making the corn topping, spoon the chicken into a ceramic baking dish – one with high sides that measures about 20 × 30cm – and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

4. Pour the butter into a blender with the corn, milk, egg yolks and ¾ teaspoon salt. Blitz for a few seconds, to form a rough paste, then spoon into a large bowl. Place the egg whites in a separate clean bowl and whisk to form firm peaks. Fold these gently into the runny corn mixture until just combined, then pour the mix evenly over the chicken.

5. Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden-brown: keep an eye on it after 25 minutes to make sure the top is not taking on too much colour: you might need to cover it with tin foil for the final 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving.

Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

Recipe List

- Trout tartare with burnt butter and pistachios

- Mackerel with pistachio and cardamom salsa

- Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa

- Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

- Chilli fish with tahini

- Coconut-crusted fish fingers

- Fishcake tacos with mango, lime and cumin yoghurt

- Smoked fish and parsnip cakes
- Charred prawn, sweetcorn and tomato salad
- Squid and red pepper stew
- Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger
- Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod
- Prawn and corn fritters

Trout tartare with burnt butter and pistachios

Tartare is all about the quality and freshness of the ingredients. The trout needs to be fresh as can be, the nuts need to be best quality – always taste them to check for freshness – and the salt flaked. If you are pushing the boat out and can get hold of them, use slivered pistachios – their long shape is very elegant and their vibrant green looks great – but regular pistachio kernels are also fine, roughly chopped. This is as easy to make as it is impressive to serve.

Serves four as a starter

1 shallot, sliced into very thin (1–2mm) pinwheels (30g)

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 40ml

½ tsp caster sugar

4 trout fillets, skinless and boneless, cut into 1½cm pieces (360g)

1 tsp olive oil

25g unsalted butter

½ tsp cumin seeds

20g slivered pistachios (or roughly chopped pistachios, if you can’t get any), lightly toasted

5g tarragon leaves, finely chopped
flaked sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the shallot in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, the sugar, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a generous grind of pepper. Using your fingers, massage the sugar and salt into the onions and set aside.

2. Put the trout into a separate small bowl along with the oil, the lemon zest, the remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons of flaked salt and a generous grind of pepper. Stir and set aside for 30 minutes – not longer, or the fish will overcook.

3. Before serving, put the butter and cumin seeds into a small pan and place on a medium heat. Melt the butter gently for about 5 minutes, swirling the pan from time to time, until the butter begins to foam, turn brown and smell nutty and caramelised.

4. Divide the trout between four dishes and top with the shallots (discarding any liquid). Sprinkle over the pistachios and tarragon and drizzle with the cumin seed burnt butter. Finish with a little sprinkle of flaked salt, and serve.

Trout tartare with burnt butter and pistachios

Mackerel with pistachio and cardamom salsa

This is a super impressive (but secretly very easy) summer starter. It also works well as a main course, served with some herb-filled rice.

Serves four as a starter or two as a main

8 cardamom pods (or ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom)

4 mackerel fillets, skin on and pin-bones removed (260g)

3cm piece of ginger, peeled (25g)

30g double cream

30g soured cream

15g coriander, finely chopped

10g basil leaves, finely chopped

25g pistachio kernels, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

2 limes: finely grate 1 to get 1 tsp zest, then juice to get 1 tbsp; cut the second lime into wedges, to serve

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

50ml sunflower oil
salt

1. Using the flat side of a large knife, crush the cardamom pods to release the seeds. Transfer the seeds to a pestle and mortar and crush them finely: you should have about ½ teaspoon. The pods can be discarded. If starting with ground cardamom you don’t need to do this.

2. Mix a pinch of cardamom (about ⅛ teaspoon) with a pinch of salt. Rub this on both sides of the fish and set aside until ready to fry.

3. Finely grate the ginger, then press the pulp through a sieve (with a bowl underneath): you should get 1 teaspoon of juice. Discard the pulp and set the liquid aside.

4. Using a fork (or a small whisk, if you have one), whip the double cream until stiff. Switch to using a spatula, and fold in the soured cream, ginger juice and a small pinch of salt, so you have a soft cream. Keep in the fridge until needed.

5. Combine the herbs with the pistachios, the remaining cardamom, the lime zest, lime juice, chilli, 20ml of oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

6. When ready to serve, put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. Once very hot, add the mackerel fillets, skin side down (the skin should sizzle) and fry for 2 minutes. Press the fillets down with a fish slice as they cook, to prevent the skin from curling up. Once the skin is crisp and golden-brown, turn over and fry for another minute, until golden-brown.

7. Transfer the mackerel to four individual plates. Spoon a quarter each of the ginger cream and the pistachio and cardamom salsa next to each fillet, and serve hot, with a wedge of lime.

Mackerel with pistachio and cardamom salsa

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa

This is the dish Patrick Dempsey’s character tells Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones that he would have brought her on their imaginary second date in Bridget Jones’s Baby. ‘From Ottolenghi,’ says Dempsey, ‘delicious and healthy!’ And easy, we might add! What sounded like a bit of product placement on our part was in fact no such thing. The recipe didn’t even exist on our menu, so this is a retrospective acknowledgement.

Serves four (or half the recipe if you’re on that second date!)

100g currants

4 salmon fillets, skin on and pin-boned (500g)

100ml olive oil

4 celery sticks, cut into 1cm dice (180g), leaves removed but kept for garnish

30g pine nuts, roughly chopped

40g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their brine

40g large green olives, pitted and cut into 1cm dice (about 8)

1 good pinch of saffron threads (¼ tsp), mixed with 1 tbsp hot water

20g parsley, roughly chopped

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tsp
salt and black pepper

1. Cover the currants with boiling water and set aside to soak for 20 minutes while you prep the salmon and make the salsa.

2. Mix the salmon with 2 teaspoons of oil, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Set aside while you make the salsa.

3. Put 75ml of olive oil into a large sauté pan and place on a high heat. Add the celery and pine nuts and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the nuts begin to brown (don’t take your eyes off them, as they can easily burn). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the capers and their brine, the olives, saffron and its water and a pinch of salt. Drain the currants and add these, along with the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside.

4. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and fry for 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Reduce the heat to medium, then flip the fillets over and continue to fry for 2–4 minutes (depending on how much you like the salmon cooked). Remove from the pan and set aside.

5. Arrange the salmon on four plates and spoon over the salsa. If you have any celery leaves reserved, scatter these on top.

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa

Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

This is one of those dishes which is simple and quick enough for a mid-week but impressive enough to serve to guests you want to make feel special. The recipe is one which easily doubles or triples, so that also helps. To get ahead, make the salsa the day before and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. This dish needs little more than some rice or a potato salad alongside.

Serves two

150g cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 orange: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp

2 limes: juice 1 to get 1 tbsp, cut the other into wedges to serve

1½ tsp maple syrup (or honey)

1½ tbsp barberries (or currants soaked in 1 tbsp lemon juice)

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted and crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

70g unsalted butter

1 small garlic clove, crushed

2 whole trout, gutted and scaled (ask your fishmonger to do this for you) (700g)

10g coriander leaves, finely shredded
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.

2. Put the tomatoes into a medium bowl with the orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, maple syrup, barberries, fennel seeds, oil, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix, then set aside.

3. In a small pan, gently warm the butter with the garlic on a medium heat until just melted. Arrange the trout on a medium baking tray, spaced apart. Sprinkle the top, bottom and cavity of each fish with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Pour the butter mixture all over the trout, making sure it covers both sides as well as the cavity. Roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes, basting once, until the fish is just cooked.

4. Serve the fish on the baking tray or arrange on plates, spooning over some of the cooking juices. Stir the coriander into the salsa and spoon over the fish. Serve with the lime wedges alongside.

Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

Chilli fish with tahini

There are very few things, in my book, which aren’t improved by a drizzle of creamy tahini sauce. Here it makes perfect sense, balancing out the chilli and bringing a welcome creaminess.

I tend to make double the tomato sauce and keep the excess in the fridge for a week, or the freezer for a month, so you can either make this dish twice or spoon it alongside some grilled chicken or veg. The tahini sauce can be made 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge.

Serves four

800g halibut (or other firm white fish), either 4 steaks, on the bone, or 4 fillets, skinless and boneless

60ml olive oil

1–2 red chillies, chopped widthways into 2cm long chunks, most of the seeds removed

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp caraway seeds, plus ¼ tsp to serve

1 dried ancho chilli, trimmed, seeds discarded, torn into 5cm pieces (or 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika)

1kg plum tomatoes, chopped into 1cm dice

2 tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp caster sugar

5g coriander leaves, roughly chopped, to serve
salt

TAHINI SAUCE

50g tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Lightly season the fish with just ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

2. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the fresh chillies and fry for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, caraway seeds and ancho chilli and continue to fry for 1 minute, until the garlic is starting to turn golden-brown. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt, then, once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce is thick. Add the fish, cover the pan and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

3. To make the tahini sauce, mix the tahini and lemon juice with 60ml of water and ⅛ teaspoon of salt.

4. When ready to serve, gently lift the fish out of the pan and set aside somewhere warm. If the fish has released a lot of liquid during the cooking and the sauce is runny, increase the heat and let it bubble away quickly until thick. Taste and add salt if needed.

5. Transfer the fish to a serving dish. Spoon over the sauce, sprinkle over the coriander and serve.

Chilli fish with tahini

Coconut-crusted fish fingers

This makes a welcome change to the fish finger theme for kids, who love this alternative. The chilli flakes aren’t too hot but reduce or lose them, if they’re going to put anyone off. Thanks to Jamie Kirkaldy for giving Esme the idea to make these.

Serves four

500g skinless and boneless haddock (or other firm white fish), cut into about 12 pieces, each 3 × 10cm

2 tbsp lime juice

60ml coconut cream

200g fresh coconut flesh (from 1 medium coconut), coarsely grated (or 150g desiccated coconut)

20g panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp chilli flakes

60g unsalted butter, melted

1 lime, quartered into wedges, to serve
salt

1. Place the fish in a bowl with the lime juice, coconut cream and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix, then leave in the fridge for about an hour, to marinate (don’t leave it for much longer than that, as the fish will start to disintegrate). Scrape off and discard as much of the cream as you can from the fish, then set aside.

2. Place a large frying pan on a medium high heat and, once hot, add the coconut. Dry-fry for 6–7 minutes (or just 2–3 minutes, if using desiccated), stirring from time to time, until golden. Transfer to a medium shallow bowl and set aside to cool, then mix in the panko, chilli flakes and ½ teaspoon of salt.

3. When ready to cook, set your oven grill to high.

4. Coating one at a time, dip a piece of fish into the melted butter, followed by the coconut mix. Toss until it is coated on all sides and transfer to a wire rack placed on top of a large parchment-lined baking tray. Continue with the remaining pieces.

5. Place under the grill – leave about 20cm clear between the grill and the fish, otherwise it will burn! – and cook for 5–6 minutes, turning them over carefully halfway through – until cooked through and golden-brown. If the fish is not cooked but the coating is brown and ready, just turn the grill off and leave in the oven for 2–3 minutes: the fish will cook in the residual heat.

Coconut-crusted fish fingers

Fishcake tacos with mango, lime and cumin yoghurt

Making tacos is a really easy and fun way to feed friends. You can prepare everything well in advance – the fishcake mixture (uncooked), the yoghurt, the onion and mango pickle can all be made a day ahead and kept separate in the fridge – then just hop to the stove 5 minutes before everyone wants to eat, cook the fishcakes and heat the tacos. Reheat any leftovers the next day. The dish also works well without the tacos, if you want to eat with a knife and fork.

Makes 12 tacos, serving four

450g plaice fillets (or use a similar white fish), skin and pin-bones removed, cut into 2–3cm chunks

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 large egg

1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely crushed in a pestle and mortar

4 limes: finely grate the zest of all 4, then cut into wedges, to serve

20g coriander leaves, finely chopped

120g Greek-style yoghurt

½ red onion, finely sliced (40g)

⅓ mango, peeled and julienned (100g)

1 red chilli, deseeded and julienned (10g)

3 tbsp vegetable oil

12 corn or flour tortillas, 15cm wide, warmed through
salt

1. Place the fish, garlic and egg in the large bowl of a food processor with 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, three-quarters of the lime zest and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Blitz briefly, just until the fish forms a rough paste, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add half the coriander, mix together, then form into 12 round fishcakes, each weighing about 45g. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (and up to a day ahead), to firm up.

2. Put the yoghurt, the remaining ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, the remaining lime zest and ⅛ teaspoon of salt into a small bowl. Mix together and set aside.

3. In a separate small bowl, combine the onion, mango and chilli and set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the fishcakes in batches and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden-brown and cooked through. Transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate.

5. Serve each taco warm, with one fishcake, cut in half, a spoonful of yoghurt and the mango mix. Finish with a sprinkle of the remaining coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Fishcake tacos with mango, lime and cumin yoghurt

Smoked fish and parsnip cakes

I love to eat these for brunch, topped with a poached egg, but they’re good any time of the day. If eating them for lunch or supper, try grating some fresh horseradish into soured cream to serve alongside. I’ve allowed for two cakes each, but some people will prefer one, particularly if eating them in the morning topped with an egg. The patties can be made up to 24 hours before serving, up to the point of frying, and kept in the fridge.

Makes 12 cakes, serving six (if everyone is eating two)

8 parsnips, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks (600g)

120ml olive oil

560g smoked cod or haddock fillets (undyed), skinless and boneless, chopped into 4cm pieces

20g dill, roughly chopped

20g chives, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then cut into wedges, to serve

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

40g unsalted butter
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan.

2. Toss the parsnips with 3 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Transfer to a large parchment-lined tray and roast for 30 minutes, until golden-brown and soft. Tip into a food processor and blitz to form a coarse mash. If the mix is feeling very dry then add a tablespoon or two of water and blitz again to combine. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

3. Place the fish in the food processor (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and pulse a few times – you want it to be roughly chopped rather than completely minced – then add to the bowl of parsnips, along with the dill, chives, garlic, lemon zest, eggs, 1 teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well, then form into 12 patties: they should be about 8cm wide and 2–3cm thick. At this stage you can cover the patties and keep them in the fridge until ready to cook (up to 24 hours).

4. Put half the butter and half the remaining oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once the butter starts to foam, add half the patties and fry for 8 minutes, turning them over halfway through, until crisp and golden-brown. Keep warm while you continue with the next half and serve, with a wedge of lemon.

Smoked fish and parsnip cakes

Charred prawn, sweetcorn and tomato salad

Taking the shell off the prawns can be a bit of a fiddly job, so start with peeled prawns (fresh, or frozen and defrosted), if you like. You won’t have the tail intact, which always looks great, but they work perfectly well. If you want to get ahead, make the dressing up to 2 days in advance of serving.

Serves four as a starter or two as a main

440g shell-on tiger prawns, peeled leaving the tail intact, and deveined (or pre-peeled tiger prawns) (240g)

1 tsp olive oil

1 small red onion, cut into 1½cm wide wedges (120g)

100g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

250g cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp picked marjoram leaves (or oregano)

salt

DRESSING

2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (15g)

1 tbsp sriracha

1½ tbsp olive oil

1 lime: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1½ tbsp

¼ tsp caster sugar

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing, along with ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and set aside.

2. Place a chargrill on a high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. While the chargrill is heating up, mix the prawns with the oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt and set aside. Place the onion on the chargrill for 5 minutes, turning over every so often until charred and cooked but still retaining a bite. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the sweetcorn to the grill. Cook for 2 minutes, until charred, then add to the onion.

3. Continue with the tomatoes, chargrilling them for 3 minutes, turning throughout so that they are charred on all sides. Add to the bowl of onion and corn. Add the prawns to the chargrill and grill for 4 minutes, turning halfway through, until the prawns are charred and cooked through. Add to the vegetables, along with the marjoram and the dressing. Gently stir through, to combine, and serve.

Squid and red pepper stew

This is a one-pot dish, big on flavour, which simmers away for just 30 minutes while you get on with something else in the kitchen. It’s also delicious a day or two after you make it – just keep in the fridge and warm through before serving. Serve with plain couscous or rice, or just some crusty bread to soak up the juices, along with a crisp green salad. Ask your fishmonger to clean your fresh squid for you, if you don’t want to do it yourself, otherwise bags of frozen (and cleaned) squid are widely available.

Serves two as a main or four as part of a tapas spread

70ml olive oil

1 onion, sliced into thick pinwheels, about 1–1½cm wide (160g)

1 large red pepper, halved, core and seeds removed, cut into long slices, 1cm thick (150g)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsp caraway seeds

¾ tsp ground allspice

1kg squid, cleaned, skin removed, cut into 1½cm wide strips (500g)

1½ tbsp tomato paste

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

150ml red wine

1 small orange, zest finely grated to get ¼ tsp (optional)

salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Add the onion and red pepper, along with ⅓ teaspoon of salt, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic, caraway seeds, allspice and a really good grind of black pepper. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until everything is nice and soft.

2. Add the squid, cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, then pour in the wine. Reduce the heat to low and allow everything to simmer away, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring a few times, until the squid is cooked and soft. If the sauce is turning dry towards the end of cooking, you might need to add a tablespoon or two of water. Add the orange zest just before serving, if using, and give everything a final gentle stir.

Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger

This is the centrepiece for an Asian-style feast, served with some Thai sticky rice (see here) and tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts (see here) or any other green. If you want to get ahead, the fish can be prepared a few hours in advance and kept in the fridge, ready for the sauce to be poured over and the dish placed in the oven. Thanks to Helen Goh.

Serves four

1 whole sea bass, about 45cm long, scaled, gutted and rinsed (1kg)

10 spring onions, trimmed (160g)

1 medium white cabbage, halved, core cut out and leaves removed individually (750g)

4cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned (30g)

1 red chilli, deseeded and julienned

75ml groundnut oil

10g coriander, leaves picked or left on the stems if those are tender
flaked sea salt

SAUCE

100ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

3½ tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Put the ingredients for the sauce into a small pan and place on a high heat. Once boiling, cook for 1 minute, swirling the pan slightly so that the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Make 5 diagonal slits on both sides of the fish, ½cm deep and about 8cm long. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flaked salt evenly over one side of the fish and rub in. Repeat with another teaspoon on the other side, then sprinkle the inside with another ½ teaspoon. Slice eight of the spring onions into 5cm pieces and set aside. Finely slice the remaining two and set aside, keeping them separate.

4. Spread the cabbage and larger pieces of spring onion out into a large baking dish or tray. Place the fish diagonally on top and sprinkle over the ginger. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the dish tightly with foil and place in the oven for 40 minutes, basting twice during the process, until it is cooked through. To check that it is ready, gently insert a knife into one of the slits and check that the flesh comes away from the bones and is no longer transparent. Sprinkle over the finely sliced spring onion, along with the chilli, and set aside.

5. Pour the groundnut oil into a small pan and place on a high heat for about 2 minutes, until it starts to smoke. Very carefully pour it evenly over the fish so that the skin and vegetables start to crisp. Top with the coriander and serve, either straight from the baking dish or on a platter. If on a platter, arrange the cabbage leaves and spring onion on the platter – pull them out from under the fish – then carefully lift the fish to sit on top. Pour over the cooking sauce and serve, with the coriander.

Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger

Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod

This is a great little tapas dish packed full of big flavours. Serve it with some crusty bread and wilted greens.

Serves four as a tapas or side

200g cod, skinless and boneless, cut into 3cm pieces

2½ tbsp olive oil

⅓ tsp ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, 1 crushed and 1 thinly sliced

½ an onion, finely chopped (100g)

2 cardamom pods, bashed with the flat side of a knife

1 tbsp rose harissa (or 50% more or less, depending on variety: see here) (15g)

2 tsp tomato paste

1½ small preserved lemons, skin finely chopped

1 × 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (240g)

200ml vegetable stock

5g coriander, roughly chopped
salt

1. Mix the cod with 1½ teaspoons of olive oil, the cumin, crushed garlic and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

2. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden-brown. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced garlic and stir through for 1 minute, then add the cracked cardamom, harissa, tomato paste, preserved lemon, chickpeas and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir for another minute, then pour over the stock and heat for 3–4 minutes, crushing some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon, until the sauce is thick.

3. Add the fish to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring gently and turning the fish over halfway, until cooked and flaking apart. Lift out and discard the cardamom pods, sprinkle over the coriander, spoon into shallow bowls and serve.

Pictured here

Prawn and corn fritters

These work as both a snack before supper or as a starter with an avocado and gem lettuce salad. They also work in bite-sized form, as a canapé. Just make them a third of the size and reduce the cooking time to 1 minute on each side. The mix can be made up the day before, if you want to get ahead, and then just wait in the fridge to be fried. You can also fry them the day before, if you like, and keep them in the fridge to warm through before serving.

Makes 12 fritters, serving six as a starter or snack, or about 36 bite-sized fritters, serving twelve as a canapé

350g ready-peeled raw king prawns

140g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

¼ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp chilli flakes

10g coriander, roughly chopped

1 large egg, beaten

2 limes: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then cut into wedges, to serve

3 tbsp vegetable oil
salt

1. Put the prawns and sweetcorn into the bowl of a food processor and give them a quick pulse, to break them up. Add the ground spices, chilli flakes, fresh coriander, egg, lime zest and ⅓ teaspoon of salt and pulse a few more times, until the prawns are roughly broken and the ingredients are mixed together. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

2. Put the oil into a medium frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, use 2 dessertspoons to form half the mixture into six fritters (or more, if making canapé size). Put them into the pan and flatten slightly so they are about 2cm thick. Fry for 2 minutes on each side (or 1 minute on each side if making the smaller version), then transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate.

3. Continue with the remaining mixture in the same way, and serve warm, with a sprinkle of salt and the wedges of lime.

Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod & Prawn and corn fritters

Recipe List

- Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

- Vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb

- Sumac-roasted strawberries with yoghurt cream

- Plum, blackberry and bay friand bake
- Blueberry, almond and lemon cake
- Fig and thyme clafoutis
- Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake
- Hazelnut, peach and raspberry cake
- Spiced apple cake
- Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls
- Mint and pistachio chocolate fridge cake
- Brunsli chocolate cookies
- No-churn raspberry ice cream

Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

Three components here, I know, but they’re all quick and simple to do, can all be made well in advance, and there’s no work to do on the day apart from some pretty informal assembly. The cheesecake (which keeps for 3 days) and compote (which keeps for 5 days) need to be kept in the fridge, and the crumble (which keeps a good week or so) just needs to be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. The compote and crumble are also lovely for breakfast, if you have any left over or want to make more, served with Greek yoghurt.

Serves six to eight

100g feta

300g full-fat cream cheese

40g caster sugar

1 small lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

130ml double cream

2 tbsp olive oil, to serve

CRUMBLE

100g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

30g unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into 2cm dice

80g ground almonds

25g caster sugar

1 tbsp black sesame seeds (or white)

⅛ tsp salt

CHERRY COMPOTE

600g frozen pitted cherries, defrosted

90g caster sugar

4 whole star anise

1 orange: skin finely shaved to get 4 strips

1. Using a spatula, break the feta down in a large bowl to make it as smooth as possible. Add the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest and whisk, by hand, to combine. Pour in the cream and gently whisk together until the mixture has thickened enough to hold its shape. Leave to set in the fridge until ready to use.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

3. To make the crumble, place the hazelnuts, butter, ground almonds and sugar in a bowl. Use the tips of your fingers to rub the butter into everything else until the consistency of breadcrumbs is formed. Stir in the sesame seeds and salt, then spread out on a baking tray. Cook for about 12 minutes, until golden brown.

4. To make the compote, put the cherries, sugar, star anise and orange skin into a medium saucepan and place on a medium high heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened (but it will continue to thicken as it cools down). Set aside to come to room temperature. The star anise and orange peel can be discarded.

5. When ready to serve, spoon a large scoop of the cheesecake in to each bowl and top with half the crumble. Spoon the compote on top and finish with the remaining crumble. Drizzle over the olive oil and serve.

Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

Vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb

If it’s in season use forced rhubarb here: the hot-pink colour of the slender stalks looks stunning once cooked. Regular field-grown rhubarb, though, available throughout the year, is also great. The custard and fruit mixtures can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to assemble. Serve this with some shortbread alongside, if you’re looking for crunch.

Serves eight to ten

200g rhubarb, cut into 3cm chunks

200g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways

90g caster sugar

CUSTARD

4 large egg yolks

1 tsp cornflour

60g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

600ml double cream

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Mix the rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar and arrange in a medium ovenproof dish: you want the fruit to fit snugly. Bake for 12–13 minutes, until the fruit has softened but still retains its shape and the sugar has melted. Don’t worry if there is a tiny amount of sugar that hasn’t melted: just give the fruit a gentle stir and the sugar will dissolve. Set aside to cool.

3. Lower the oven temperature to 170°C fan.

4. For the custard, place the egg yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually pour in the double cream and whisk until combined. Pour the custard into a 25cm round high-sided ovenproof dish. Place the dish inside a larger ovenproof dish and fill the larger dish with boiling water so it rises about 1cm up the sides. Bake for 25 minutes, until the custard has set and is starting to brown on top. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool, then transfer to the fridge to chill.

5. Once chilled, spoon half the fruit and juice on top and serve with the remaining fruit and juice alongside.

Vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb

Sumac-roasted strawberries with yoghurt cream

This is a good pudding to remember if you have over-ripe strawberries which are slightly past their best. Roasting them makes them deliciously soft and sticky. All of the elements can be made 3 days in advance – keep them separate in the fridge and assemble when ready to serve. Serve this as it is, for a light summer dessert, or with shortbread biscuits. Thanks to Helen Graham.

Serves six

900g Greek-style yoghurt

140g icing sugar

120ml double cream

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

600g ripe strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthways

1½ tbsp sumac

10g mint, half left as sprigs and the other half with leaves picked and finely shredded

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped
salt

1. Put the yoghurt into a bowl with half the icing sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix, then transfer to a sieve lined with a muslin (or a clean j-cloth) and set over a bowl. Tie the muslin into a bundle with string, weight this down with a heavy bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid out as possible, until you are left with about 550g of thickened yoghurt. Remove from the cloth – discarding any liquid – and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the cream and lemon zest and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

3. Meanwhile, roast the strawberries. Toss the strawberries with the sumac, mint sprigs, vanilla pod and seeds, lemon juice, the remaining icing sugar and 80ml of water. Transfer to an ovenproof dish measuring about 30 × 20cm. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until soft and bubbling. Allow to cool to room temperature, then lift out and discard the mint and vanilla pod. Strain the roasting liquor into a jug. Pour 3 tablespoons of the juice into the yoghurt cream and gently fold it through so the cream is rippled. Set aside 3 tablespoons of juice to serve. (Keep the remaining juices to drizzle over your morning granola.)

4. To serve, spoon the rippled cream into bowls and spoon over the strawberries. Pour over the juices and top with torn mint.

Sumac-roasted strawberries with yoghurt cream

Plum, blackberry and bay friand bake

Friands are the light, moist almond cakes popular in Australia, New Zealand and France. Whisked egg whites and very little flour make them wonderfully light, and the ground almonds make them really moist. Traditionally they’re small cakes, but here I tip the batter into a baking dish and cook it whole.

You can make the batter well in advance here, if you want to get ahead – it keeps well in the fridge up to a day ahead – but don’t macerate the fruit for this amount of time as it will become too juicy.

Serve with custard, vanilla ice cream or cream. The fruit can be played around with, depending on the season. Raspberries and peaches can be used in the early summer months, for example.

Serves six generously

200g blackberries

4 ripe plums, stones removed, cut into 1cm wide wedges (360g)

1 tsp vanilla extract

60g caster sugar

3 fresh bay leaves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

60g plain flour

200g icing sugar, sifted

120g ground almonds

⅛ tsp salt

150g egg whites (from 4–5 large eggs)

180g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1. Place the blackberries and plums in a bowl with the vanilla extract, sugar, bay leaves and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Set aside for 30 minutes. Don’t be tempted to leave them sitting around for longer than this, as the fruit will become too juicy.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan.

3. Mix the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds, the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon and salt in a separate large bowl. Set aside.

4. Lightly whisk the egg whites by hand for 30 seconds, so they just start to froth. Stir into the flour mixture, along with the melted butter, until combined.

5. Tip the batter into a 20 × 30cm parchment-lined baking dish and top evenly with the fruit and juices. Bake for 40 minutes, covering the dish with foil for the final 10 minutes, until the batter is golden-brown and the fruit is bubbling. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving.

Plum, blackberry and bay friand bake

Blueberry, almond and lemon cake

For all the tins, trays and moulds that can be used to great effect in baking, there’s nothing quite like a simple loaf cake to reassure one that all is okay with the world. This is timeless, easy and also keeps well, for 3 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Serves eight

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

190g caster sugar

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 2 tbsp

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs, beaten

90g self-raising flour, sifted

⅛ tsp salt

110g ground almonds

200g blueberries

70g icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Grease and line a loaf tin 11 × 21cm, and set aside.

2. Place the butter, sugar, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and vanilla in the bowl of a free-standing food mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on a high speed for 3–4 minutes, until light, then lower the speed to medium. Add the eggs, in small additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl. The mix may split a little, but don’t worry: it’ll come back together. Add the flour, salt and almonds in three additions. Finally, fold in 150g of blueberries, by hand, and pour into the prepared loaf tin.

3. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 50g of blueberries over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the cake is golden-brown but still uncooked. Cover loosely with tin foil and continue to bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and cooked. Test by inserting a knife into the middle: it’s ready if it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside, in its tin, to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the icing. Put the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice into a bowl with the icing sugar and whisk until smooth. Pour over the cake and gently spread out: the blueberries on the top of the cake will bleed into the icing a little, but don’t worry: this will add to the look.

Blueberry, almond and lemon cake

Fig and thyme clafoutis

This might seem like a lot to serve four, but it’s so light and fluffy that you’ll be surprised how much everyone can eat. The figs can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge.

Serves four

90g dark muscovado sugar

2 tbsp red wine

1 tbsp picked thyme leaves

2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp

420g really ripe black figs (around 10, depending on size), tough stems removed, halved lengthways

2 large eggs, yolks and whites separated

50g plain flour

1½ tsp vanilla extract

100ml double cream

⅛ tsp salt
vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Put 50g of sugar into a small ovenproof high-sided sauté pan (about 18cm wide), along with 1 tablespoon of water. (If you don’t have an ovenproof pan this size, cook the figs in a regular frying pan and transfer them to a 22cm square baking dish). Place on a medium high heat for 3–4 minutes, swirling the pan a few times, until the sugar has completely melted and is bubbling rapidly. Carefully add the wine and thyme and stir continuously for about 1 minute, keeping the pan on the heat, until combined and thick. Remove from the heat, stir through the lemon juice and figs and set aside to cool for 20 minutes (or longer): you just don’t want them to be piping hot when the topping gets poured on. If you need to transfer the figs to a baking dish, do this now.

3. Place the egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining 40g of sugar, the flour, vanilla, cream, lemon zest and salt. Whisk until pale and thickened: 2–3 minutes by hand, or 1 minute with an electric whisk. Whisk the egg whites separately by hand for 1–2 minutes, to form stiff peaks, and fold gently into the batter until just combined.

4. Spread the figs out in the base of the sauté pan (or baking dish) and pour over the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the batter has risen, and is golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven, divide between four bowls and serve hot with some vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.

Fig and thyme clafoutis

Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake

No ovens, no bain-marie, no cracks: this is the simplest of cheesecakes! You can make this up to 2 days ahead of serving, if you like, topping with the honey and thyme just before serving. It will keep in the fridge but the base will soften with time.

Serves eight

500g Greek-style yoghurt

200g Hobnobs

60g unsalted butter, melted

1½ tbsp picked thyme leaves

400g full-fat cream cheese

40g icing sugar, sifted

1 lemon: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

150g white chocolate, broken into 1–2cm pieces

60g honey

1. Line a 23cm springform cake tin with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Line a sieve with a clean tea towel and set above a bowl. Spoon in the yoghurt, then draw up the sides of the tea towel. Squeeze the yoghurt into a ball, pressing out as much liquid as you can. You want to end up with about 340g of thickened yoghurt. Set aside until required. The liquid can be thrown away.

3. Place the Hobnobs in a clean plastic bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin. Mix with the butter and 1 tablespoon of the thyme and spoon into the cake tin, pressing it down to form an even layer. Set aside in the fridge.

4. Whisk together the cream cheese, strained yoghurt, icing sugar and lemon zest until smooth and combined: this can be done in a free-standing mixer or using a hand-held mixer.

5. Next melt the chocolate. This needs to be done over a pan of barely simmering water, in a heatproof bowl which sits over the pan with the base well clear of the water. Stir the chocolate frequently for 2–3 minutes, taking care not to get any moisture into the chocolate as this will cause it to seize. Spoon the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and whisk until combined.

6. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base evenly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.

7. When ready to serve, warm the honey in a small saucepan with the remaining ½ tablespoon of thyme leaves until thin and runny. Remove from the heat and drizzle over the cheesecake.

8. Release the cheesecake from the tin, divide into eight slices and serve.

Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake

Hazelnut, peach and raspberry cake

I like to use blanched hazelnuts to keep the cake light in colour, but unskinned work just as well, if that’s what you have: the colour of the cake will just be darker. The cake tastes great when it is still slightly warm, but it’s also fine at room temperature. It will keep for a day, in an airtight container, but (as with all cakes made with hazelnuts, which tend to dry out quickly) not much longer.

Serves ten

2 tsp sunflower oil

2 large peaches, stones removed, sliced into 1½cm wide wedges (340g)

200g raspberries

320g caster sugar

125g blanched hazelnuts

200g unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 large eggs, beaten

125g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

⅛ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Line a 24cm round springform cake tin with parchment paper and brush with the oil.

2. Place the peaches in a medium bowl with 150g of the raspberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix together and set aside.

3. Put the hazelnuts into a food processor and blitz for under a minute, until roughly ground. Set aside.

4. Put the remaining sugar into the bowl of a free-standing mixer with the butter. Beat until smooth and well combined, then gradually add the eggs, until incorporated. Add the ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and salt, and continue to mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the cake tin and arrange the peach slices and raspberries randomly on top. Bake for 70–80 minutes, covering the cake with tin foil after 30 minutes so that it does not take on too much colour.

5. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly before releasing the cake from its tin. Place the remaining 50g of raspberries on top of the cake, in the middle, and serve.

Hazelnut, peach and raspberry cake

Spiced apple cake

This can either be eaten as it is, slightly warm or at room temperature, or served as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This cake should be eaten on the day it is baked, or the day after – stored in an airtight container to keep it at its best.

Serves ten

130g unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed

150g caster sugar

3 large eggs, lightly whisked

2 tsp vanilla extract

300g self-raising flour

⅓ tsp salt

200g soured cream

APPLE TOPPING

2 large Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1½cm wide wedges (460g)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1½cm wide wedges (125g)

130g demerara sugar

1 tbsp mixed spice

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin.

2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on a medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, a little at a time, until incorporated. Sift together the flour and salt and add this in a couple of batches to the batter, alternating with the soured cream. Turn the machine off as soon as everything is incorporated. Spoon the batter into the cake tin and set aside.

3. Place all the apple slices in a bowl. Mix together the sugar and mixed spice and sprinkle over the apple. Toss to coat, then spoon over the cake batter. Bake for 60–65 minutes, until the mixture has risen up around the apple and the top is crisp, firm and golden-brown. A knife inserted into the mix will not come out clean, as the apples are wet, but you can tell the cake is cooked when you give the tin a little shake and the top doesn’t wobble.

4. Remove from the oven and set aside for about 30 minutes before removing from the tin.

5. Serve either slightly warm or at room temperature. When slicing, use a serrated knife to prevent the apples from tearing.

Spiced apple cake

Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls

Two assumptions here, to qualify these for Ottolenghi SIMPLE. One is that everyone has a jar of Nutella in their cupboard, somewhere (hence ‘P’ for pantry-led – a bit of a stretch we know!) and second, ‘E’, that making your own dough and rolling it up into all sorts of deliciousness is easier than it looks. The result is somewhere between a cake and a biscuit, best enjoyed as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. The dough is delicate so it’s important that you soften the Nutella (until it’s nearly runny) before spreading it. Inspired by a similar pastry served at Landwer Cafe in Tel Aviv.

Makes ten rolls

150g strong white bread flour, plus a little extra to dust the work surface

¾ tsp fast-action dried yeast

1½ tsp caster sugar

3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing

¼ tsp salt

65ml lukewarm water

40g blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

20g sesame seeds, lightly toasted

150g Nutella, softened (in the microwave or gently on the stove, until easily spreadable)

1 small orange: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

2 tsp icing sugar

1. Put the flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of oil and the salt into a large bowl and mix to combine. Gently pour in the water, then, using a spatula, bring the mixture together until combined. Transfer to a lightly oiled surface and, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for 3 minutes until soft and elastic. You may need to add a little more oil if the dough starts to stick to the surface or your hands. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.

2. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

3. Combine the hazelnuts and sesame seeds in a small bowl and set 1 tablespoon aside.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 40 × 30cm rectangle, so that the longest side is towards you, parallel to the work surface. Using a spatula, spread the dough with Nutella, leaving a 2cm border clear on the top edge. Sprinkle the orange zest evenly over the Nutella, then scatter over the sesame and hazelnut mix. With the longest side still towards you, roll the dough into a long sausage. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil, then sprinkle over the remaining tablespoon of sesame and hazelnuts (press them into the dough gently, so they stick). Trim the ends and cut the roll into 10 segments, each 3cm long, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray, seam side down.

5. Bake for about 8 minutes, until golden-brown. Dust with the icing sugar and let slightly cool. Serve.

Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls

Mint and pistachio chocolate fridge cake

This is called a chocolate fridge cake but it should be seen as a bit of a larder cake as well, using what you have to hand – which is why this is a Pantry recipe. All sorts of different-flavoured chocolate (ginger chocolate, chilli chocolate and so forth), biscuits, nuts, dried fruit or alcohol can be used, instead of what’s listed here, depending on what you have and what you like. The cake can be stored in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to a week.

Makes 24 bars

100g mint-flavoured dark chocolate, roughly chopped into 3cm pieces

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped into 3cm pieces

120g unsalted butter, cut into 2cm cubes

100g golden syrup

⅛ tsp salt

100g sultanas or raisins, soaked in 2 tbsp rum for 30 minutes

170g digestive biscuits, roughly broken into 2cm pieces

100g pistachios, chopped

1. Line a 28 × 18cm baking tray or glass dish with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Put both chocolates, the butter, golden syrup and salt into a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (taking care that the base of the bowl is not touching the surface of the water). Heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until completely melted and combined.

3. Add the sultanas and rum, the biscuits, and three-quarters of the pistachios (try adding the larger bits here, leaving the more powdery bits to finish) to the chocolate. Using a spatula, combine everything together until the biscuits and nuts are completely coated in chocolate. Transfer to the prepared tray, smoothing the top with the spatula so that it’s flat and even, then sprinkle the remaining pistachios on top. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool, then wrap tightly with cling film. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours, until completely set.

4. Cut into bars – you should get 24. If not serving straight away, store them in an airtight container and serve fridge-cold.

Mint and pistachio chocolate fridge cake

Brunsli chocolate cookies

Anyone from Switzerland will tell you that these should only be made with cinnamon and cloves and only be baked and eaten at Christmas. Having played around with the spice mix, and baked and eaten them happily throughout the year, I would make the case for the rules for this chewy brownie-like (and gluten-free) biscuit to be extended. Swiss-born Cornelia Staeubli, through whom nearly all decisions at Ottolenghi have to pass, would firmly disagree! It’s true, though, that they’re particularly at home when things are festive, so I’ve made them into stars to play the game.

Either way, these keep for 5 days in a sealed container. The dough can also be frozen (either when shaped into a ball or cut into cookie shapes) for up to a month. If you bake from frozen, just add another minute or two to the cooking time.

Makes 18 cookies (if using a 7cm cookie cutter)

270g ground almonds

250g granulated sugar, plus 10g extra to sprinkle

40g icing sugar, sifted

40g Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted

1 orange: finely grate the zest to get 1 tsp

1½ tsp Chinese 5-spice

¼ tsp salt

2 large egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Place the almonds, granulated sugar, icing sugar, cocoa powder, orange zest, Chinese 5-spice and salt in the bowl of a free-standing mixer, with the dough hook in place. Mix on a medium speed, until combined. With the mixer still working, add the egg whites and vanilla and continue to mix for 1–2 minutes, until the dough comes together into a ball. Tip the dough out on a clean surface, shape into a flat disc about 3cm thick and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge for about an hour, to rest.

3. Cut out two pieces of parchment paper, 40 × 40cm. Unwrap the dough from its cling film, place in the middle of the two sheets of paper and roll out to form a circle about 22cm wide and 1½cm thick. Using a 7cm wide star-shaped pastry cutter (or whichever pastry cutter you are using), cut out the stars and place on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Press together the scraps of dough and roll out again, cutting out more stars as before. Continue until all the dough has been used, then sprinkle with the 10g of granulated sugar.

4. Bake for 12 minutes, until the bottoms are slightly crisp and the middles are soft and gooey. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Brunsli chocolate cookies

No-churn raspberry ice cream

This is the same recipe for ice cream used in the Knickerbocker Glory in my book SWEET. It’s a great stand-alone recipe, so here it gets its own page.

Make this throughout the year: fresh raspberries are great when they’re in season and there is a glut, but frozen also work really well. The liquid released by the frozen kind actually gives the purée a lovely smooth consistency. Get ahead with making this: it needs to freeze for at least 12 hours and both the ice cream and purée can be kept for up to a month.

Serves six

600g fresh raspberries (or frozen and defrosted)

2 tbsp icing sugar

200ml double cream

1 egg, plus 2 egg yolks

1 tsp lemon juice

180g caster sugar

⅛ tsp salt

1. Place the raspberries in a food processor and blitz to form a purée. Pass them through a fine sieve set over a bowl, using a large spoon to scrape the purée through the sieve to remove the seeds. Do this in batches if you need to. Measure out 260g of the purée and set aside. Sift the icing sugar into the remaining purée – about 100g – and decant into a jug. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

2. Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment in place. Whip until soft peaks form, then scrape into a bowl. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

3. Fill a medium saucepan, which your electric mixer bowl fits snugly over, with enough water so that it rises a couple of centimetres up the sides without touching the base of the bowl. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer.

4. In the meantime, whisk together the egg, yolks, lemon juice, sugar and salt in the bowl of the electric mixer. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk the mixture continuously for about 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is very warm. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer with the whisk attachment in place and beat on medium high, until the mixture is thick and cooled: it will thicken quite quickly but takes about 10 minutes or more to cool. Add the 260g of purée and whisk on a low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix until combined. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and fold through to incorporate. Scrape the mixture into a large freezer container, cover the top with cling film and freeze for at least 12 hours.

5. Ten minutes before serving, remove the ice cream from the freezer so that it is soft enough to scoop. Divide between bowls and serve at once, with a drizzle of the reserved sweetened raspberry juice spooned over each portion.

No-churn raspberry ice cream

SIMPLE Meal Suggestions
from mid-week suppers to weekend feasts

The number of ways in which 140 recipes can be combined to make various different meals is large. Here are just a few meal-planning ideas covering a range of occasions, from quick mid-week suppers to special occasion or weekend feasts. In some instances there are separate ideas depending on the season. Focusing on the food that’s in season and available is the best place to start in terms of keeping things simple in the kitchen and eating well. If a menu is vegetarian or vegan it will have a (V) or (VG) icon alongside.

Mid-week supper

Spring/Summer

Avocado and broad bean mash here (the mash keeps for two days in the fridge. Keep the broad bean and spring onion garnish separate until serving) + Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad here (all the elements can be made a day in advance) + Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa here (make 6 hours ahead and keep in the fridge) (VG)

Stuffed courgettes with oregano and pine nut salsa here (the filling can be made up to a day ahead so that the courgettes are then ready to be stuffed and grilled) + Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa here (make the salsa in advance, if you like – it will be fine for a few hours) (V)

Prawn and corn fritters here (the mix can be made up a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to fry) + Herby courgettes and peas with semolina porridge here

Seeded chicken schnitzel here (the seed mix will keep for up to a month) + New potatoes with peas and coriander here + Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad here (prep the cucumbers and make the dressing, but keep separate until ready to serve)

Autumn/Winter

Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup here (make ahead) + Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce here (the sauce will keep for a week) (VG)

Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup here (make the soup in advance, and batch-cook the pumpkin seeds) + Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers here (make the sauce 3 days in advance) (V)

Chilli fish with tahini here (make ahead or batch-cook both the tomato and tahini sauces as they keep well in the fridge or freezer) + Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime here (blanch the broccoli and kale ahead of time)

Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine here (get all your chopping done before you start and this will be on the table in under 15 minutes) + Plain rice or noodles + Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts here

Weekend brunch for friends

Pea, za’atar and feta fritters here (the batter can be made a day in advance) + Beetroot, caraway and goat’s cheese bread here (this keeps for up to a week, just slice and grill on the day) + Avocado and cucumber salad here (this is the salad served with scrambled tofu) (V)

Scrambled harissa tofu here (batch make the harissa onions and keep in the fridge) + Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad here (use up potato skins or save the cooked flesh of a jacket potato to make mash) + Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls here (V)

Weekend lunch and supper for friends

Spring lamb and sides

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin here (get the lamb marinating overnight in the fridge) + Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa here and/or New potatoes with peas and coriander here + Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad here (make the dressing and prep the cucumbers) and/or Avocado and broad bean mash here (the mash can be made ahead and kept in the fridge) + Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts here (the elements can all be made in advance)

Summer salmon supper

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa here + Aromatic olive oil mash here + No-churn raspberry ice cream here (this keeps well in the freezer, so it can be made in advance)

Spring roast chicken and sides

Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon here (the chicken can be prepped ahead, ready to go into the oven) + New potatoes with peas and coriander here (this can be made a few hours in advance) + Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar here

Autumn roast chicken and sides

Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing here (stuff the chicken ahead of time, so it is ready to go in the oven) + Aromatic olive oil mash here (potatoes can be prepped in advance) + Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate here (the carrots can be roasted a few hours before serving)+ Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon here

Festive Supper

Chicken Marbella here (the chicken can be marinating up to 2 days ahead, ready to go into the oven) + Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic here + Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon here (steam the carrots in advance and add the herbs and yoghurt before serving) + Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic here

Family supper

Gnocchi alla Romana here (make this up to the point where it’s ready to be sliced and grilled) + Ricotta and oregano meatballs here (make these ahead, ready to be warmed through in the oven before serving) + Cucumber and lamb’s lettuce salad here (the dressing can be made in advance and kept in the fridge)

Asian Fish

Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger here (the whole dish can be prepared, ready to go into the oven) + Tenderstem broccoli with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts here and/or Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing here + Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts here

Feasts

Feasts, for me, are where you do most of the cooking in advance and then have a great spread of food to which people can help themselves. The recipes I go to when making a feast are those whose quantities can be easily doubled or trebled (or more) as needed. They’re dishes happy to sit around for a while and be eaten at room temperature, when everyone is ready. Exceptions to this – where something needs to come out of the oven at the last minute or where assembly should be last-minute – are noted where relevant. I’ve erred on the side of really covering the table in food here, but don’t feel you have to cook everything listed for it to be a feast.

Tapas feast

See image here

Avocado and broad bean mash here (make up to two days in advance but keep the reserved broad beans aside and fry the spring onion mix just before serving) + Butterbean mash with muhammara here (both elements can be made in advance and assembled before serving) + Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod here + Squid and red pepper stew here (make this up to two days in advance and warm through before serving)+ Oven chips with oregano and feta here (the potatoes can be parboiled in advance) + Lamb arayes with tahini and sumac here (make the filling up to two days in advance)

Middle Eastern feast

See image here

Grilled lamb fillet with almonds and orange blossom here (all the elements can be prepared in advance and assembled before serving) + Couscous cherry tomatoes and herb salad here (all the elements can be made a day in advance) + Spring onion and herb salad here (make the dressing the day before and prep the salad 6 hours in advance, up to the point of adding the herbs and salt) + Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon here + Whole roasted cauliflower with green tahini sauce here (the sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days) + Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate here (bake the carrots 6 hours in advance and assemble just before serving) + Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar here

Spring lamb feast

See image here

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin here (get the lamb marinating overnight) + Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa here (make the salsa in advance so that the rice is ready to put in the oven) Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill here + Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts here (the elements can all be made in advance) + Tomato and cucumber raita here (this will keep in the fridge for 2 days) + Courgette, thyme and walnut salad here (make the garlic oil ahead and prep the courgettes up to 6 hours in advance, just hold back on the seasoning and lemon juice).

Summer vegetarian feast

See image here

Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil here (marinate the grapes for up to 1 day and chargrill just before serving) + Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt here (the tomatoes need to be served hot, but can sit in the marinade for up to 1 day) + Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa here (make the filling in advance, ready to stuff the courgettes before baking) + Gem lettuce with fridge-raid dressing here (the dressing can be kept in the fridge for 3 days) + Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds here (the elements can all be made a day in advance and then assembled) (V)

Winter feast

See image here

Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing here (the chicken can be stuffed the day before and kept in the fridge) + Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes here (confit garlic can be made two days ahead and the potatoes can be parboiled 6 hours in advance) + Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon here + Mushrooms and chestnuts with za’atar here (these need to be served straight from the oven, but can be prepared up to the point of adding the salt and pepper and going in the oven) + Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime here (blanch the broccoli and kale in advance) + Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon here (steam the carrots 6 hours in advance and let them come to room temperature before serving)

‘Ottolenghi’ Ingredients

These are the 10 ingredients I’m urging you to seek out and stock up on. Even though I’ve called them ‘Ottolenghi’ ingredients they’re not ‘mine’, of course: they’ve all been around a lot longer than me! They are, however, things I love to cook with, rely on a lot in the kitchen and will keep championing until, I hope, they become a lot of people’s ‘everyday’ ingredients. As with all ingredients, there’s a huge range in the quality of each product. Price is a guide – you tend to get what you pay for – but, more than this, buying something from the country of origin will always give you the more ‘authentic’ (which often just translates as tastier) version of the product. The sharpest barberries will always be those from an Iranian grocer’s, for example; the tartest sumac – as with the most aromatic za’atar and the creamiest tahini – will always be from a Middle Eastern store. This is not to say that shopping for everything in one big supermarket, and buying their own-brand version of things, is in any way wrong. It is to say, though (particularly if you live in a city or do your grocery shopping online) that it’s worth taking a ten-minute detour to seek out a specialist shop to find these things or place an order online. We sell them at all our Ottolenghi shops, as just one example, as well as through our Ottolenghi webstore.

Either way, and whatever version of the product you get hold of, these ingredients are all little flavour bombs, enriching and making bold whatever they’re added to. They all have a long shelf life too, so don’t worry: you won’t need to be adding black garlic to every dish you make for weeks once the pot is open.

That being said, there are so many ways each ingredient can be used that you shouldn’t be short of ideas as to what to do with them. Here are just a few ideas, both general and, also, specific to the recipes in Ottolenghi SIMPLE.

Sumac is the deep red ground spice made from the dried and crushed berries of the sumac shrub. The flavour is astringent and citrusy and the spice can be sprinkled over all sorts of dishes. Eggs are a classic pairing, but it works just as well with grilled meat, fish and vegetables. It can either be sprinkled over a dish as it is or mixed with some oil as the base for a dressing or marinade. Sumac onions (here) were something of an obsession for me one summer, when I couldn’t stop piling them on top of sweet tomatoes, and I also like to make a sumac yoghurt (here) to serve with lamb patties or spoon over roasted vegetables. Sumac tends to be seen as savoury but it does work in sweet dishes too (here).

Za’atar is the green powder made from dried and ground za’atar leaves, sesame seeds, sumac and salt. There’s a huge range in the quality of available brands but I only like to use those with just these four ingredients in them. The leaves have a distinctive, savoury aroma and their flavour is complex. There’s a connection to oregano and marjoram, but also to cumin, lemon, sage and mint. A pinch sprinkled over meat, fish or vegetables, or mixed with oil and drizzled over dishes, can absolutely transform them. See the chopped salad with tahini and za’atar, for example (here), or the roast mushrooms and chestnuts (here). It’s also great sprinkled over all legume-based spreads. If you don’t want to make the red pepper paste to go on top of the butterbean mash (here), for example, then just a sprinkle of za’atar also works.

Urfa chilli flakes are the type of chilli flakes I reach for most days, although I use various chillies in my cooking. They are all about flavour – smoky and almost chocolate-like – rather than heat, so you can really be liberal with what they’re sprinkled over. Scrambled eggs, smashed avocado on toast, in a cheese sandwich. In Ottolenghi SIMPLE I’ve sprinkled them over roasted cherry tomatoes, for example, warm from the oven (here), as well as on top of a Puy lentil and aubergine stew (here).

Ground cardamom can be hard to find. Most recipes in Ottolenghi SIMPLE start, therefore, with whole cardamom pods and work from there (getting you to bash the pods open and gently crush the seeds inside). If you can find ground cardamom, though (and we sell it at Ottolenghi), then do get hold of some and use this instead. It brings an aromatic and distinctive sweetness to all sorts of desserts and savoury dishes. It’s there in the soba noodles in Ottolenghi SIMPLE, for example (here), and in the salsa to go with the pan-fried mackerel (here). As a guide, if a recipe talks of ½ teaspoon of cardamom seeds (which you’d then crush yourself), you should use ¼ teaspoon of ready-ground cardamom. Flavour bombs are one thing but you don’t want them to actually explode in your mouth.

Pomegranate molasses is syrupy, sweet and sharp. Adding a drizzle to all sorts of meat or vegetable dishes is a way of injecting this welcome sweet-sharp note into the dish. The molasses pairs incredibly well with minced lamb, as just one example: I always find myself adding a little bit to the mix when I’m making meatballs, for example (here) or a lamb mix to be piled into pitta bread sandwiches (here). Adding a drizzle to a marinade or the base of a slow-cooked stew is also a very good way to create a sweet and sticky coating for whatever’s being cooked.

Rose harissa is a heavily spiced North African chilli paste. I absolutely love it and it’s used throughout Ottolenghi SIMPLE in all sorts of dishes: to marinate beef sirloin, for example (here), to rub over jacket potato skins before they get roasted (here), to elevate a simple pasta dish (here) or omelette with Manchego (here) or to make a batch of caramelised harissa onions to spoon alongside a tasty brunch (here). The difference between harissa and rose harissa is the addition of the rose petals in the latter: generally speaking, they bring a special sweetness to the paste and soften the kick of the chilli. That being said, the range in kick between one harissa and the next, or one rose harissa and the next can be absolutely huge. Recipes in Ottolenghi SIMPLE have been tested with Belazu rose harissa, which I really like. If you’re starting with something else, then, you’ll need to taste what you have and gauge how much to use. A lot of supermarket-own brands aren’t that punchy so you’ll need to use 50% more than the recipe says. Much of the harissa or rose harissa that you buy from a North African shop, on the other hand, will have a really spicy kick so you’ll need to use 50% less than the recipe says. With heat, it’s always going to be a matter of taste and tolerance, so have a play around to see what works for you.

Tahini is little more than an oily paste made up of ground sesame seeds but, still, the quality varies hugely depending on where and how it’s made. Having grown up on it, I’m predisposed towards the creamy Lebanese, Israeli and Palestinian brands rather than the Greek and Cypriot ones, which I find to be a bit claggy and not as flavoursome. Being less claggy, they pour well, so are ready to go into all sorts of dressings and sauces. I love to drizzle tahini over so many things. A simple chopped salad (here), for example, or into a dressing made with honey, mirin, soy sauce and other ingredients for a seaweed and sesame salad (here). It’s also great on toast – as you’d spread peanut butter, topped with honey or date syrup – or just drizzled over vanilla ice cream. Tahini is there in so many Ottolenghi SIMPLE recipes, enriching the topping for a lamb bake (here), drizzled lightly over some poached fish (here) or made into a green sauce to be served alongside roasted veg (here).

Barberries have an acidic tang which sweeter currants don’t, and they work well through all sorts of fritters, frittatas, omelettes and rice-based salads. There are only two recipes in Ottolenghi SIMPLE which call for barberries – the Iranian herb fritters (here) and the orange and barberry salsa which goes with the trout (here) – but, still, I think they’re really worth having in your cupboard the whole time. If you don’t have them, just soak an equal quantity of currants in a little bit of lemon juice – about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for 3 tablespoons of barberries – for half an hour. These can then be drained and used instead.

Black garlic has a wonderfully concentrated flavour: liquorice-allsort-meets-balsamic-wine-gum. The cloves start off as regular white garlic cloves which are then treated over a long period and allowed to ferment. If white garlic can be harsh (and make your breath smell), then these black cloves are the very opposite: mellow, sweet and umami-rich. I’ve used them in Ottolenghi SIMPLE to take the bitter edge off some Brussels sprouts (here) and add their mellowness to an already-comforting brown rice dish (here), but play around with other recipes. Try adding a thinly sliced clove or two to your pizza before it gets baked, for example, or stirring it through a risotto.

Preserved lemon offers a real pop of citrus flavour. I often just chop the skin of a preserved lemon and add it to a dish or dressing to add a citrus hit. In Ottolenghi SIMPLE I’ve used the small soft-skinned preserved lemons, rather than the larger thick-skinned ones, whose flavour is much more pronounced. Preserved lemon is used throughout the recipes here: bringing a bite of contrast to an otherwise refreshing iceberg lettuce salad (here), for example, or a tomato and cucumber raita (here). It works just as well when cutting through earthy beetroot (here) or keeping things vibrant in a comforting dish of braised eggs (here).

A note on vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free recipes

This book is all about recipes that fit with in the Ottolenghi SIMPLE structure without any compromise on freshness, bounty and flavour. Any other ‘free-from’ focus was not, this time, a priority. I was delighted, therefore, to see how many of the recipes were still vegetarian and vegan. 100% of the soups, raw veg, grain, rice, pulse and pudding dishes, for example, are vegetarian, as are 80 to 90% of the brunch, cooked veg and potato dishes. Half of the potato, grain, rice, pulse and raw veg dishes are vegan.

For a full list of free-from recipes (including, also, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free recipes) go to: books.ottolenghi.co.uk.

Acknowledgements

It is my name that appears on the cover of this book but there are two very important people who, really, deserve similar credit. Their distinct fingerprints can be found on every single page.

Tara Wigley has worked on a number of my books, always bringing in an unparalleled thoughtful contribution. With Ottolenghi SIMPLE, her latest ‘baby’, it was Tara who suggested breaking down the recipes into different kinds of ‘simple’. Her experience as a cook as well as a talented writer was instrumental in giving this book its particular shape and flavour.

Esme Howarth, whose official job description as a recipe tester doesn’t do justice to her real input, was involved in assessing, almost clinically, every dish that made the final cut. Her ideas are dotted throughout the book in the shape of complete recipes, as well as the different accents and light touches that make a good thing the best of its kind.

Thanks to Claudine Boulstridge who cooked every single dish here, fed it to her family and fed us constructive criticism. Thank you also to Ixta Belfrage for many a clever suggestion.

I am happy and grateful for my long-term collaboration with Jonathan Lovekin, who photographed the recipes, and Caz Hildebrand, who designed the book. Thank you both! And thank you, Wei Tang, for the plates, the props and the two silver ducks.

Particular thanks to Noam Bar – for knowing and telling it as it is – and to Cornelia Staeubli and Sami Tamimi.

I would also like to express my gratitude to a bunch of people, on both sides of the Atlantic, who were crucial enablers: Felicity Rubinstein, Kim Witherspoon, Lizzy Gray, Louise McKeever, Rebecca Smart, Jake Lingwood, Mark Hutchinson, Gemma Bell, Sarah Bennie, Diana Riley, Helen Everson, Aaron Wehner, Lorena Jones and Sandi Mendelson.

Thank you also to Gitai Fisher, Sarah Joseph, Bob Granleese, Melissa Denes, Josh Williams and Nichole Dean.

Lastly, I want to thank my family and extended family: Karl Allen, Max and little Flynn; Michael and Ruth Ottolenghi; Tirza, Danny, Shira, Yoav and Adam Florentin; Pete and Greta Allen, Shachar Argov, Helen Goh, Garry Chang, Alex Meitlis, Ivo Bisignano, Lulu Banquete, Tamara Meitlis, Keren Margalit, Yoram Ever-Hadani, Itzik Lederfeind, Ilana Lederfeind and Amos, Ariela and David Oppenheim.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Tara would like to thank the following for helping her out with their advice, appetites and support: Vicki Howard, Cornelia Staeubli, Carenza Parker, Sala Fitt, Suzanna and Richard Roxburgh, Alison and Alec Chrystal, Sophie O’Leary and Chris Wigley. Vicki for her advice (with the words), Cornelia for her advice (with the everything), Carenza for her appetite (for the food and washing up!), Sala for her appetite (for the wine), Suzanna, Richard, Alison, Alec and Sophie for their support (with the kids) and Chris for all of the above and so much more.

Tara Wigley

Esme would like to thank her husband Mark Howarth for his constant support and eager taste buds. Her enormous 39-week-old bump that let her off too much morning sickness, so she could continue cooking and tasting during the making of this book. Her parents Waring and Alison Robinson, for feeding all creativity in her life – especially her Mother for her rice and dal lunches and delicious slow cooked stews. All the friends and yachties she has fed over the years that have given advice, encouragement and provided the freshest of fish. Lastly, the amazing Ottolenghi family who could not be a more supportive.

Esme Howarth

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN: 9781473528147

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Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,

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Ebury Press is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

Text © Yotam Ottolenghi 2018
Photography © Jonathan Lovekin 2018

Yotam Ottolenghi has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

First published by Ebury Press in 2018
www.eburypublishing.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 9781785031168