Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Delicious UK

May has a lot to live up to this year as the nation turns its attention to planning street parties, big and small, for the four-day Platinum Jubilee weekend right at the beginning of next month. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling conflicted thinking about big and happy celebrations when the world is in such tragic disarray. And yet a 70-year reign is momentous for our Queen –an astonishing achievement that deserves marking. Plus I believe it’s important to plan events that remind us of the value of community spirit. In a broader sense, there’s a money-raising opportunity there, too. So what’s in store for your kitchen? We have heritage dishes reinvented, we have generous recipes designed for sharing with a crowd around a table – bunting-bedecked trestle or…

RECIPE: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. PHOTOGRAPH AND STYLING: KATE WHITAKER. FOOD STYLING: JULES MERCER Brioche french toast with berry compote Serves 1 Hands-on time 20 min MAKE AHEAD Cover leftover compote and keep in the fridge for up to a week. It’s brilliant swirled into porridge or yogurt. EASY SWAPS If you’re in a hurry, use a good quality shop-bought compote instead. • 1 medium free-range egg • 5 tbsp whole milk • ¼ tsp mixed spice • Pinch ground cinnamon • 2 thick brioche slices • Knob of butter • Mascarpone, grated chocolate and grated orange zest to serve For the berry compote • 300g frozen mixed berries • Juice ½ orange • 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 Put the compote ingredients in a small pan and cook gently for 6-8 minutes to thaw and soften the berries and thicken…

Judy Starling Crème brûlée is a favourite you hardly see these days. Also I remember in the old Cordon Bleu magazines there was a delicious cucumber and cream cheese mousse. Linda Duffin Yes to prawn cocktail and steak Diane. No to my mum’s salad of tinned sweetcorn, peppers and tinned asparagus. Sally Wagstaff My mother made a dessert of ginger biscuits dunked in sherry and sandwiched with whipped cream into a log. Spam fritters should make a comeback too in this economically challenged time. Something to leave in the past: cold tripe with vinegar and black pepper. Ew! Barbara Rhodes I still make my mum’s ‘mock crab spread’, originally made with bits of cheese, dried onion, a squishy tomato and dried egg. It’s very tasty made with fresh ingredients. Brigitte…

CROSSOVER HIT In the kitchen I like to wear an apron with crossover straps because it avoids that dragging sensation on the back of your neck. Helen Round’s linen aprons are hand-printed and made in Cornwall. Check out the bowl covers, too. Apron, £60 (in three colours), and bowl covers, £20 for 3, both helenround.com SPOON LOVE How gorgeous are these ceramic fish teaspoons by Hannah Turner? They’d be brill for fishing out tea bags or as fun condiment spoons... or for ‘plaice’ settings (sorry). £33 for a box of 4, hannahturner.co.uk WELL PRESERVED If you’re making Romy Gill’s pickles on p108 or set for a summer of jam-making, you need jars. All hail the Kilner eight-piece preserving starter kit (£31), which includes 4 x 500ml jars and a funnel,…

Roast beef tray sandwiches Serves 12 Hands-on time 40 min, plus standing and cooling Oven time 35-40 min Easy traybake bread, a sort of Brit focaccia with condiments and some of the filling niftily built in, is the basis for these chunky sarnies. They’re a fun way to serve a crowd EASY SWAPS We’ve used British roast beef to fill these sarnies, but you can use anything you want: try prawns with greens and a dollop of mayo, or strong cheddar and sliced heritage tomatoes. KNOWHOW To make horseradish sauce, mix equal amounts of hot horseradish and crème fraîche and season well. For the dough • 550g strong white bread flour • 1 tsp salt • 300-350ml lukewarm water • 7g sachet or heaped tsp fast action yeast • 1 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp olive…

PHOTOGRAPH: ROB BILLINGTON. FOOD STYLING: VALERIE BERRY. STYLING: RACHEL VERE “‘Chef Ben Chapman taught me this Thai technique of grilling chicken really gently. Why not try grilling Thai-style this bank holiday weekend? Gai yang is grilled chicken and nam jim jaew is a wildly popular dipping sauce – sweet, sour and a little spicy (adjust to your taste). The easy-to-make roasted rice powder is essential to the sauce, adding a toasty flavour and crunchy texture.” FIRE COOK HELEN GRAVES Gai yang with nam jim jaew (Thai grilled chicken) Serves 4 Hands-on time 15 minutes, plus overnight marinating and resting Grill time 1½ hours Specialist kit Spice grinder or pestle and mortar; kitchen scissors; barbecue KNOWHOW Find fresh turmeric in large supermarkets or at Ocado or Amazon. Or use 2 tsp…

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the generosity of cooks. We are the ultimate over-sharers. If you’re sick, we’ll bring you soup; if you come for lunch, we’ll send you home with leftovers. Not sure how to mend a split sauce or a broken heart? Have this tip, this steak, these chips. Of course, we share recipes and techniques, but it’s about more than what’s on the plate or in the pan. It feels good to show someone how to tell when a piece of fish is cooked or how to make a perfect vinaigrette – these precious spoonfuls of knowledge are things people take off into their lives forever. Once learned, you can’t unknow them. But the real, gentle thrill to these exchanges is that this is how…

PHOTOGRAPH: DAN JONES. FOOD STYLING:JULES MERCER. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS. ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY Platinum punch Serves 10; makes about 2 litres Heat 200g caster sugar and 300ml water in a pan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, take off the heat, add 4 Earl Grey tea bags, then steep for 30 minutes. Squeeze the bags, then discard. Pour the cooled syrup into a bowl with 500ml gin, 75ml elderflower cordial, 1 litre soda water, the juice of 3 lemons and 1-2 tsp Angostura bitters to taste. Stir in 1 lemon, cut into wedges, 4 cored sliced nectarines and lots of ice. Adjust to taste and scatter with edible flowers before serving. Per serving 231kcals, 0.1g fat, 0.7g protein, 28.8g carbs (28.8g sugars), no salt, 0.8g fibre…

“Before you eat or drink anything, consider carefully who you eat or drink with,” wrote the Greek philosopher Epicurus – clearly a man who had never had a solitary sandwich in Pret. Today, eating and drinking without company, whether on the sofa in the comfort of your own pyjamas or in Newport Pagnell services, is not unusual. Our dining rituals have become increasingly solitary – just ask those who lived alone during lockdown. Yet while America and Japan have long been renowned for bar seating, kitchen counters and tables for one, proper restaurant eating in the UK has remained resolutely communal. Even the businessman stuck late at work or the solitary traveller shied away from being alone à la carte. A SINGLE REVOLUTION Or so we thought. Then, in 2019,…

Warm niçoise salad with roasted new potatoes Serves 3-4 Hands-on time 10 min Oven time 30 min EASY SWAPS Switch the tuna for another tinned fish like salmon or sardines. Use your favourite seasonal vegetables or bulk it out with other storecupboard heroes like butterbeans, cannellini beans, sweetcorn or sun-dried toms. • 750g new potatoes, sliced into 1cm rounds • 3 tbsp wholegrain mustard • 5 tbsp olive oil • 3 tsp runny honey • Juice 1 lemon • 4 medium free-range eggs (at room temperature) • 400g asparagus, green beans or a combination of both, trimmed • 2 x 145g tins sustainable tuna chunks/steaks in oil (see Easy Swaps) • 1 small bunch radishes, finely sliced • 250g mixed small tomatoes, halved • 100g mixed pitted olives, chopped • Small bunch chives, chopped • Crusty bread and butter to serve (optional) 1…

Jam jar clearout • JAM JAR COCKTAILS Shake your favourite cocktail with ice in an almost-empty jar of jam, honey or even fruit compote (you’ll want about 1-2 tsp jam per serving). • ALL-PURPOSE STICKY GLAZE Jam or honey make a great glaze for poultry (as in the traybake pictured), meat or fish, especially on the barbecue. Use straight or combine with a splash of booze or water and some ginger/garlic/herbs/ spices. Use just one jam/honey or combine them. • FRUITY CHOCOLATE Stir a spoonful of jam, curd or marmalade into chocolate ganache for a fruity twist. Use to glaze or fill cakes and biscuits, or turn into chocolate truffles. Dubonnet (from cheesecake p50 and sorbet p56) • DUBONNET SANGRIA (SERVES 4) Combine the juice of 1 orange, juice of 1 lemon, 1 diced…

“While researching our recipes, we’re always asking questions and gleaning useful bits of know-how. Why are not-so-fresh eggs better if you’re making meringue or the classic chocolate mousse on p104? How exactly does gelatine work? And why is hot water crust pastry the best stuff for picnic pies such as those on p32? Find all the answers – and more – right here” JESS MEYER, ACTING DEPUTY FOOD EDITOR HOW DOES IT WORK? • Egg whites are formed of tightly bunched and tangled proteins – whipping encourages them to loosen and straighten up. As air becomes incorporated into the whites, the proteins rearrange to form a network around it, trapping it in bubbles that stick to one another to form a foam. GETTING IT RIGHT • Start with room temperature…

A scion of the Roux family fine-dining dynasty, Michel began his career with a patisserie apprenticeship in Paris. For nearly 30 years he’s been chef-patron of two-Michelin-star restaurant Le Gavroche, opened in 1967 by his late father Albert and uncle, Michel Sr. He also oversees the food at London hotel The Langham and teaches at its cookery school, Sauce by The Langham. Sauce offers full day and shorter ‘building block’ courses on everything from pasta to French cuisine, taught by The Langham’s expert chefs. Michel Roux Jr’s classes are a chance to learn from the main man, while preparing a menu of his design. saucebylangham.com…

Grab it while you can Zaytoun’s limited-edition new-season extra-virgin olive oil, made by Palestinian farmers, is available only until the end of May. It’s fairtrade, organic, unfiltered – and has a wonderfully fresh, peppery flavour that your late-spring salads will sit up and beg for. The attractive bottle is worth keeping, too. £14.50 for 500ml, Oxfam, Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic and others; find all retailers at zaytoun.org A RIGHT ROYAL PICNIC Posh picnic brand Pique’s Jubilee hamper is a wonderful treat for the big bank holiday or any special-occasion day out. There are jammy-yolked scotch eggs, peppery sausage rolls, potato salad with tangy pickled shallots – and, of course, juicy coronation chicken (with toasted almonds for texture) – plus excellent mini victoria sponges, all made in-house. Smoked salmon sarnies,…

Gently poach the kippers for 5 minutes off the heat in a frying pan of salted, freshly boiled water, then serve with buttery scrambled eggs and sourdough toast for breakfast. Try the kipper soufflé recipe on p45 – or use in these recipes. Search for them at deliciousmagazine.co.uk. Oat-crusted mackerel and horseradish fishcakes with herby crème fraîche Replace the smoked mackerel with kippers PHOTOGRAPHS: RICHARD FAULKS, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Kipper kedgeree An easy weeknight dish Smoked mackerel niçoise salad Swap the smoked mackerel for poached kippers…

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Growing up in Croydon in south London, I experienced a cultural infusion of food from all around the world. Veg markets sold plantains, yams, coconuts – products neither grown in the UK nor traditionally part of the British diet. Our neighbourhood had Chinese takeaways, Turkish kebab shops and West African eateries catering to the significant number of locals from those regions who had settled here. There were still fish and chip shops, but what did it mean to talk of a British national cuisine? “Even French cooking, renowned enough to be included on UNESCO’s list of items of ‘intangible cultural heritage’, is facing a decline” At home, my mother was the matriarch of our single parent household, and she attempted to keep us rooted in our Ghanaian…

Great food on the road Festivals around the UK are back in dynamic swing this year, from the Spring Festival in Ludlow (pictured, 14-15 May) to Pub in the Park events, plus festivals in St Ives, Abergavenny, Aldeburgh, the Yorkshire Dales, Edinburgh and SO many more… Visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk/summerfestivalsto plot your out-and-about food lovers’ road trip. Great book to read Wild Nights Out by Chris Salisbury explores activities to do outdoors after dark: stars to spot in the night sky, nocturnal animals to look out for, fireside traditions to revive… Challenge your circadian rhythm and discover a whole new moonlit world. Chelsea Green Publishing UK £14.99 Great advice to listen to PHOTOGRAPHS: JONATHAN BUCKLEY, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Keen to start growing your own fruit and veg? Renowned gardener Sarah Raven has launched…

“There’s more to life than making your own pastry” When did you start cooking? My two grandmas let me help them, chopping and weighing ingredients for cakes. I fondly remember rolling pastry offcuts into balls and baking them with grandma’s biscuits. They were like bullets, but everyone said they were delicious! Favourite delicious. recipe? Martha Collison’s chocolate nest Easter cake [pictured – find it at deliciousmagazine.co.uk]. That was a challenge as I’m not usually a cake decorator. Most ambitious recipe made? A duck wellington – so many different processes before it goes in the oven. And then you have to make the gravy... Treasured food memory? A celebratory meal at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. We’ve been to several fine restaurants but none quite comes up to the standard…

PORTRAIT: GREETJE VAN BUGGENHOUT. ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Culinary history gives me joy because it’s based on real-life stories. I’ve always had a passion for the past: I say, I don’t write cookbooks, I write about food and stories about recipes and people. I’m from Belgium but am an anglophile. When I was little my icon was Elizabeth I because she was an amazingly strong woman and had red hair like me! I used to watch documentaries with my mum about Stonehenge and British castles. When I was a child, Disneyland was the big thing but give me the chance to visit a fake pink castle or a place like England with real castles and legends, and you can imagine my choice. I’m obsessed with my pastry jiggers. They’re beautiful and…

What were the British eating back in the early 1950s, during post-war rationing, when Queen Elizabeth came to the throne? Much fun is made of Britain’s culinary heritage (or lack of it) – some of it justifiably so. But look closer and there are gems to be found. Through innovations that made the best of rationing, the use of preserving techniques we now revere or the invention of one of our best loved treats, Britain’s history in the kitchen has much to offer the keen student. To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, food writer Rebecca Woollard has taken five British staples from days gone by and looked at them with fresh eyes. Each has proven its worth in history, and we hope you enjoy the updates as much as previous generations…

PORTRAIT: MARCUS COBDEN. RECIPE PHOTOGRAPH: NASSIMA ROTHACKER. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE PRYN. STYLING: MAX ROBINSON “For as long as I can remember, every Saturday I’ve had an omelette Irani for breakfast. When I was a young boy, my dad owned a bicycle shop in southwest London and it was in the basement of the shop, alongside where my father fixed the bicycles, that I learned how to cook omelette Irani. We had a small kitchen down there where my father, uncles and brothers would turn the air sweet with the smell of fried onions and garlic. On Saturday mornings, we would huddle around in the warmth of the kitchen until our stomachs were full of omelette Irani and toasted flatbread. The weekly cooking of this dish has cemented itself as a…

Grounds for a visit The weather’s warming up and lots of British wineries and distillers have opened their doors to visitors again. Here are three tours I recommend... NC’NEAN A new whisky distillery on the beautiful Morvern peninsula on Scotland’s west coast, Nc’nean has strong eco credentials. Guests enjoy a full distillery tour with a taste of the whiskies – and homemade cake is promised. £18pp, two tours daily Mon-Fri (closed 26 April to 9 May); must be booked in advance on 01967 421698; ncnean.com COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY In the north Cotswolds near Shipston-on-Stour, this distillery makes a range of spirits including fine gin and whisky, and there’s a café. The tours comprise a guided walk around the distillery and a tasting of spirits and liqueurs. £20pp, three times daily in…

@alanbritton Love eating alone, as no pressure on choosing the right stuff from the menu. Only problem is trying to split the bill at the end of the night. @umberandecru Love it! Food and football on the phone… Perfect. @tim_leah I used to dine alone when working and quickly got used to asking for a table for one. With a phone/ tablet, it’s easy not to feel lonely and easy to enjoy without the hassle of kids! @HopeDavehope I did the same when I was travelling for work a lot. However, I also drank a bit too much! @CravenK7 I’m off for a solo dining lunch on my birthday. Just want some time on my own on that special day. Will party with peeps later.…

RECIPE: ELLIE AND SAM STUDD. PHOTOGRAPH: BEN DEARNLEY. FOOD STYLING: KIRSTEN JENKINS Serves 2 Hands-on time 15 min EASY SWAPS Use whatever cheeses you have, but a mix of melty and salty works best. Instead of the dill, swap in any herbs you have to hand. • 125g frozen spinach, thawed • 15g unsalted butter • 2 tsp lemon juice • 2 flour tortillas • 300g cheese scraps (we used 100g grated halloumi, 100g crumbled feta and 100g shredded mozzarella) • ¼ bunch dill, leaves picked, plus extra to scatter • 1 large spring onion, thinly sliced • Vegetable oil to grease • Hot sauce such as Tabasco and tomato salsa (optional) to serve 1 Cook the spinach and butter in a medium non-stick pan for 5 minutes or until the excess water has evaporated. Add the lemon juice…

TESTERS: LES DUNN, PHOEBE STONE, THEA EVERETT GROWN-UP SOFTIES If, like me, you’re trying to cut back on midweek drinking, I recommend these new botanical sodas from Belvoir. Serve Spicy Ginger, Bitter Orange or Floral Fizz (elderflower, hibiscus and geranium) over ice, sit back and enjoy with a clear head. £2.25 for 500ml, Booths, Sainsbury’s and Ocado PARTY PICKLE Normally a Branston’s addict, my head has been turned by this Tracklements pickle celebrating Ma’am’s 70 years on the throne. The small chunks are perfect for cheese sarnies or straight from the jar with cold cuts. Right Royal Pickle, £5.80 for 200g, delis, farm shops and tracklements.co.uk FLAT-OUT GOOD Sofia Loren couldn’t live without pizza on her desert island, and I think she’d approve of Carluccio’s new 12-inch, wood-fired range. We…

LAZY GARDEN LUNCH Smoked rainbow trout, rocket, fennel & macadamias with tarragon aioli Platinum Jubilee coronation chicken salad Smoky kipper and chive soufflés with buttered rye crumbs Jubilee cheesecake SUMMER EVENING DRINKS PARTY Asparagus fritters & aioli Pea & watercress vol au vents with radish or smoked trout Speedy pizza with onions & smoked pancetta Tunnock’s caramel wafer blondies PICNIC IN THE PARK Jubilee pork, ham & quail’s egg mini pies Lime pickle Roast beef tray sandwiches Caerphilly & blistered tomato salad with broad beans Spiced muffins with pineapple flowers…

In Italy, wine lovers visit their local winery with refillable containers to hold the wine, then go home to enjoy it. When in Rome is on a mission to bring this tradition to the UK. It offers Italian craft wine from independent producers in cans, flat bottles and eco-friendly boxes that stay fresh for up to six weeks once opened. wheninromewine.com FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN... Let us know your thoughts on this month’s issue by emailing us at info@deliciousmagazine.co.uk*…

RECIPES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND STYLING: JOE WOODHOUSE STILL-LIFE PHOTOGRAPH: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES “I adore asparagus. During its season I often just have a plate of simply steamed asparagus to myself for dinner. The best way to eat it is with melted butter, a judicious crack of black pepper and a light spritz of lemon – or maybe some aioli to dip the steamed tips into. But there comes a point when I’ve eaten so much that I look for some further expressions (here are three of them, from my new book). By that time I’ve had so much that I’m well on the way to looking like an asparagus…”VEG-LOVING CHEF JOE WOODHOUSE Asparagus fritters and aioli “These fritters are great as a pre-dinner snack or starter. I give two ways of making…

Chicken chaud-froid A whole poached chicken covered in cold, jellied béchamel and intricately decorated with flower-shaped raw veg? You’re all right, thanks. Tapioca pudding A school favourite (not), this glutinous mess was universally known as frogspawn. For many it was barely edible, even with a dollop of jam in the middle. Savoury loaf A loaf of white bread, sliced and layered with six unappealing fillings (think frozen spinach and onion, liver sausage and mustard and tuna mayo – all in the same loaf), then iced and decorated with cream cheese to look like a cake and garnished with hard boiled eggs and cooked beetroot. Just… why? Anything in aspic Cold savoury jelly containing overcooked vegetables, fish and pieces of boiled meat, moulded into elaborate shapes. Appealing? We’ll pass. Your views……

BLUEBERRY G&T JELLY Prepare the cheesecake to the end of step 3, then neatly arrange 300g blueberries on top. Soak 4 gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Combine 125g caster sugar, 200ml water and 1 pared strip of lemon zest in a small pan. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Set aside to cool slightly, then discard the zest. Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then stir into the hot syrup. Stir in 125ml gin and 150ml tonic water. Cool completely, then pour over the cheesecake and chill for at least 4 hours until set. Decorate with pared lemon zest curls. CHAMPAGNE JELLY Prepare the cheesecake to the end of step 3. Soak 3 gelatine leaves…

PORTRAIT: SAM PELLY. RECIPE: JULES MERCER. PHOTOGRAPH: FACUNDO BUSTAMANTE. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE PRYN. STYLING: VICTORIA ELDRIDGE There’s plenty of noise about punchy cheddars and spicy Stiltons, but the quiet charms of Britain’s other regional cheeses are often overlooked. Wensleydale, lancashire, cheshire and caerphilly are all part of a family of cow’s milk cheeses known as ‘the crumblies’ because of their open, flaky textures. Eaten at just a few months old, these territorial cheeses are subtle and restrained, with tangy acidity and delicate flavours that demand your full attention. NORTHERN REVIVAL Once widely made on farms, these mild, mellow yellow cheeses are now produced in creameries, often nowhere near the regions they were originally named after. Manufactured to very similar recipes, these block versions are pale imitations of the originals and…

Hops give beer its bitterness and much of its aroma, especially those aromas similar to plants or fruit. The depth of spice and the herbal, berry and citrus flavours depend on the variety of the hops as well as the climate and soil – they’re grown mostly in Kent, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The two best-known British hops, fuggle and golding, have defined the character of British beer for 150 years. Fuggle has herbal notes and a minty freshness, while golding gives spice, honey and a summery warmth. They complement each other like salt and vinegar on a bag of hot chips. Barley grows best in the south and east of England and the northeast of Scotland, and we see several heritage barley varieties commonly chosen by brewers, including maris otter,…

PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES 40 Maltby Street, London A beloved railway-arch restaurant with a dedicated table for solo diners. Offers well sourced wines by the glass and a tapas-style menu that changes daily. 40maltbystreet.com Julie’s Kopitiam, Glasgow Malaysian street food served in a living room-sized restaurant by Malaysian Glaswegian Julie Lin – a cheerfully talented host who will make you feel like family. julieskopitiam.com Marmo, Bristol Expertly executed Italian plates and a well crafted wine list. Bag a seat at the counter overlooking Baldwin Street for people-watching while you eat. marmo.restaurant Kala, Manchester Cool and comforting, this bistro from Gary Usher of the Sticky Walnut offers bar seats, salmon schnitzel, crispy potato cakes and wines by the glass. kalabistro.co.uk Belzan, Liverpool An eclectic menu, ethically and locally sourced, in a bistro…

1 Fromage fort (aka mixed cheese dip) Whizz 250g mixed cheese scraps (a soft/hard combo works well) with 1 small garlic clove, 4 tbsp dry white wine or sherry and a good grinding of black pepper in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Taste and season with some salt and extra pepper if needed. Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week and use as a dip, spread on sandwiches or use to fill a luxurious cheese toastie. 2 The catch-all cheese sauce Melt 50g butter in a pan and stir in 4 tbsp plain flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then gradually whisk in 500ml whole milk until combined and smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir…

PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PUCKER UP Nab glorious gooseberries while they’re in season for their mouth-puckering flavour and array of nutrients. Ranging in colour from green to purple, the fruit are rich in vitamin C and other cell-protective antioxidants, as well as fibre. Tuck in early Eating dinner close to bedtime can disturb blood sugar levels and may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new US study. Spikes in blood sugar levels are linked to type 2 diabetes, and researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found those who ate late at night had higher blood sugar levels than those who consumed the same foods earlier in the evening. They said it may be wise for people to eat at least a couple of hours before bedtime. Veggie…

Garden salad with basil and buttermilk ranch dressing Serves 6-8 as a side, 4 as a light meal Hands-on time 15 min Oven time 50-60 min MAKE AHEAD Roast the tomatoes up to 3 days ahead, cool, cover and store in the fridge. KNOWHOW Hunter & Gather avocado oil mayo is a source of healthy fats. Buy it online at ocado.com and hunterandgatherfoods.com. • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to grease • 900g cherry tomatoes, halved • 300g courgettes, finely sliced • 1 large round lettuce, leaves separated • 80g fresh podded peas • 3 radishes, shaved on a mandoline or box grater • 2 banana shallots, shaved on a mandoline or box grater • Bunch basil, leaves picked For the basil & buttermilk ranch dressing • 60ml buttermilk • 75g good quality mayonnaise (see Know-how) • 60g half-fat soured…

Chocolate mousse – what’s not to like? This is a very straightforward recipe my mum used to make for the family at home as a treat. It would be served in a big glass bowl with a big spoon: boom, chocolate mousse. It really depends on the quality of the chocolate you use – that’s key. And the mixing in of the egg whites: they should be mixed enough so you’ve got no lumps of egg white, but not overmixed so you lose all the air. That’s the critical point. It’s then set in the fridge. It doesn’t need much decoration. You could grate over chocolate or make some chocolate curls to put on top, or some caramel sauce. As kids, we used to have biscuits with it. At the…

GALETTE TIME Legend has it that buckwheat was introduced to the region in the 16th century by Queen Anne de Bretagne after crusaders brought it back from Asia. You’re most likely to see blé noir on menus in the form of galettes, the golden savoury (and gluten-free) pancakes. At the shop La Maison du Sarrasin (10 rue de l’Orme) in the walled town (known as the Intra-Muros), you can try or buy buckwheat in many other forms, such as bread, biscuits and confectionery. Two doors down at Breizh Café (6 Rue de l’Orme, breizhcafe.com), named after the Breton word for Brittany, you’ll find an enticing menu of galettes with sophisticated fillings such as voluptuous local scallops or smoked herring. For dessert, try a crêpe (made with wheat flour) with fillings…