Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2019 i Delicious UK

The hungry gap – that’s what March is known as. Why? Because although spring shoots are showing, very little of the new-season produce has grown big enough to eat yet. So what to do when you’re feeling jaded at the thought of what seemed so appealing five months ago: namely, the root veg, the brassicas and the ever-faithful alliums. For the answer, turn to p46 for Sophie Austen-Smith’s fresh perspective on those ingredients – inspiring recipes designed to breathe new life into old... It will almost feel like spring. As Sophie proves in more than one of her recipes, spices (and herbs) are invaluable when it comes to pepping up winter-tired flavours, but what makes certain ingredients so effective at transforming a dish? And did you know that…

DARSHAM NURSERIES darshamnurseries.co.uk Ditch the car and enjoy a long, laid-back lunch at this independent plant nursery, a hop and a skip from Darsham railway station in East Suffolk. THE SETTING The light-filled, whitewashed café is the perfect spot for Mothering Sunday. Wander along the rows of perennials and stacks of clay pots before entering via the gift shop (more temptation). THE FOOD The menu is big on plants, as you’d expect, many of them grown on-site, supplemented by top-notch ingredients from local suppliers. A special Mothering Sunday menu (£35) kicks off with a cocktail and nibbles before three seasonal courses – fish stew with saffron aioli or twice-baked leek soufflé for a main, with pear and elderflower syllabub trifle to finish. There’s a compact wine list and an…

1 Put these traditional curry house dishes in order of heat from mild to hot: dhansak, vindaloo, pasanda, madras 2 What fruit is used in the Scottish pud cranachan? 3 Which two meats would you find in Dublin coddle? 4 What is a dolly used for in piemaking? 5 In Cornwall, what is said to determine whether it’s a cock pasty or a hen pasty? 6 How long did Mrs Beeton say to cook pasta for: a) 40 minutes b) 1¾ hours c) 3 hours 7 Apart from crisps, what else is in crisp packets a) Helium b)Carbon dioxide c) Nitrogen 8 Why is a biscuit called a biscuit? 9 The ‘danger zone’ in food cooking and storage is between 5 and how many degrees Celsius? 10 Strozzapreti is a…

HELEN BEARD is an inspired potter and illustrator and works from her studio in Islington, north London ★delicious. STAR  WHERE IT ALL BEGAN An important part of my training was my friendship with the renowned ceramicist and author Edmund de Waal (he wrote The Hare With Amber Eyes). Initially I trained in jewellery-making but jumped to ceramics at the last minute. Edmund taught me everything about working in porcelain and throwing on the wheel. Working in clay is laborious and when things go wrong it’s devastating. But it is a labour of love. MY INSPIRATION I’m an observational person, a people-watcher. I’m intrigued by movement, how much people can express just in the way they walk – it’s about capturing the moment. I live in Angel, a busy area of…

PHOTOGRAPH: CHRIS COURT. STYLING: KIRSTEN JENKINS Chicken and mushroom lattice-top pie SERVES 6-8. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 1 HOUR, PLUS RESTING AND CHILLING MAKE AHEAD The baked pie will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout. FOOD TEAM’S TIP Search ‘how to make a lattice pie topping’ at deliciousmagazine.co.uk to see how it’s done. • 30g dried wild mushrooms • 1kg mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced • 4 cooked free-range chicken thighs, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded (or use leftover chicken from a roast) • 1 tbsp sea salt flakes • 50g plain flour, plus extra for dusting • 100ml dry sherry • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme • 60g parmesan, finely grated…

PHOTOGRAPHS : TOBY SCOTT Be honest: you probably have half a dozen nearly full spice jars languishing in the back of your kitchen cupboards. A jar of nigella seeds for a moong dal recipe you cooked once? Saffron threads you’re too terrified to waste? Understanding a bit of spice science can banish the fear of getting it wrong and can bring new-found confidence – and flavour – to cooking. “On their own, many spices taste awful in all but the tiniest amounts” A major reason for spice reluctance is historical – most spicy ingredients are native to tropical and subtropical regions, not chilly northern latitudes. In the Middle Ages, rare and exotic spices were prized for their magical and medicinal qualities and traded like currency, some more valuable than gold.…

Take one gamekeeper’s cottage set among a tangle of trees in the countryside. Add an Old Etonian with shaggy hair and a penchant for eating squirrel. Mix in enthusiastic producers and cooks and you have the recipe for an unlikely TV hit, and an enterprise that’s changed the way we think about food. River Cottage turns 20 this year. Its influence on British food has been profound. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his West Country Walden have totted up 17 TV series and 32 cookbooks. Yet none of it was planned, he says. In the 1990s, Hugh was a food writer and presenter who’d gained notoriety after flambéing a placenta on his show, TV Dinners. River Cottage was a Dorset holiday home shared with friends, until TV came knocking again. “I was…

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW MONTGOMERY, DAVID CHARBIT “When Escape to River Cottage first aired, it captured people’s imaginations. As well as entertaining viewers it inspired them to think about food and our environment in a new way. I couldn’t believe it when I landed a job there. Some things have changed since my first day in the kitchen. The gardens are bigger, the farm is busier and the courses/events on offer are even broader. Despite all that, what hasn’t changed are the principles and ethics on which River Cottage was founded. Its firm commitment to sustainable cooking, food and farming has helped shape the way I think about food. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many experts through my work here. Meanwhile Hugh’s encouragement, support and friendship, as well as that…

PESTO Veg top pesto Whizz 75g veg tops (we used beetroot leaves, celery leaves and carrot tops) with a large handful of basil leaves, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 15g toasted pine nuts, 15g grated vegetarian hard cheese and 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil to a coarse paste. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste. JUICE Orange and carrot juice with turmeric and cayenne Juice 6 oranges and put in a blender with 1 coarsely grated carrot, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, a large pinch each of ground turmeric and cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lime juice. Whizz until smooth, then chill until ready to serve. PRESERVE Pickled red cabbage Use a mandoline to slice 800g red cabbage as finely as…

“I’m a proper Franglaise, born and brought up in a little village outside Lyon before I moved to the UK in 1996. When I was a child, most Sundays we’d have friends or family round for lunch. Our thing was to make a chariot de desserts – an actual dessert trolley we’d wheel into the dining room after the cheese course. Can you imagine being a youngster and witnessing five, six, sometimes even seven desserts making a grand entrance like that? It cast a magic spell. Mum would make oeufs à la neige and my sisters and I would bake a reine de saba (almond and chocolate) cake or, in summer, a clafoutis. Dad would make one…

THE BARGAIN WHITE Co-op Fairtrade Chardonnay-Viognier 2018, Western Cape, South Africa (£6) A juicy and vivacious blend, all apricots and tangerines – a star match for salmon. Sales support community projects in South Africa. THE BARGAIN RED Asda Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja Reserva 2014, Spain (£7 until 24 April, then £7.50) Keenly priced rioja, mellow and gaining maturity, majoring on blueberries, cassis and wood spice. Open it with a slow-cooked beef casserole or lamb tagine. THE MIDWEEK TREAT Behind Closed Doors Reserva 2016, Lisboa, Portugal (£10.99, or £8.99 as part of a mixed six, Majestic) A blend of Portuguese grapes delivering an easy-drinking and rounded red, all damsons and ripe blackberries. Great for steak. THE SPRING-LIKE WHITE Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand (from £8, Sainsbury’s,…

JANUARY’S WINNER • Heather Walton-Collett wins a collection of Viners cookware for her fondue hasselbacks The former Elizabethan hunting lodge was England’s AA Hotel of the Year 2018/2019. Grade 1 listed, it sits in 50 acres of gardens and parkland, in which the winner and friend can stroll before dinner and coffee in the two-AA-rosette Estate Grill. The prize includes a night in one of the hotel’s more spacious rooms, with a full English breakfast in the morning. greatfosters.co.uk; @greatfosters FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN… Make the soup with ricotta dumplings on our March cover, take a picture and share it with us via social media or email. CLOSING DATE: 31 MARCH 2019 TO ENTER AND FOR T&CS, GO TO deliciousmagazine.co.uk/cookthecover…

OUT: FRUIT JUICE IN: WHOLE ORANGES A glass of orange juice makes a tasty shot of vitamin C. But fruit juice can cause larger and faster spikes in blood sugar levels than eating the whole fruit because the fibre is much lower. Some studies have even linked the consumption of fruit juice to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. WHY ARE ORANGES GOOD FOR YOU? A large orange contains nearly 20 per cent less sugar than 250ml orange juice and because it contains around eight times more fibre than the juice, you feel fuller for longer and the sugar is absorbed slowly. When it comes to vitamin C, the juice contains more (124mg/250ml versus 96mg in the whole fruit*) but the difference doesn’t make up for the lack of…

RECIPE: JEN BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS Scallops with cauliflower and bean purée SERVES 1. HANDS-ON TIME 20 MIN • 90g cauliflower florets • 125ml skimmed milk • 100ml good quality vegetable stock • 1 bay leaf • 50g tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed • ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tsp light soy sauce • Pinch chilli flakes • Finely grated zest and juice ½ lemon • 60g fine green beans, tailed • Cooking oil spray • 100g (about 5 small/queen) MSC certified wild Atlantic raw scallops, without coral 1 Put the cauliflower in a small pan with the skimmed milk, stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until soft.…

RECIPE: OLIVIA SPURRELL. PHOTOGRAPH: ALEX LUCK. STYLING: MORAG FARQUHAR. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH Spicy beef stuffed jackets SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN MAKE AHEAD Assemble the potatoes 1-2 days ahead, cover and chill. Bake in a hot oven until piping hot and the cheese has melted and browned. FOOD TEAM’S TIP You won’t need all the potato flesh to top the jackets. Cool the leftovers, then chill in a sealed container and use up during the week. • 4 large baking potatoes • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 carrot, finely chopped • 400g British beef mince • 1½ tbsp harissa paste • 1 tbsp tomato purée • 250ml beef stock • 75g ready-chopped kale, woody stalks removed • Splash milk • 75g cheddar,…

Red wine spaghetti with tomato, goat’s cheese and basil SERVES 2. HANDS-ON TIME 25 MIN FOOD TEAM’S TIPS Spaghetti takes slightly longer to cook in red wine than in water and the wine evaporates quickly, so keep an eye on the pan and add water if needed. If cooking for vegetarians, check the wine and cheeses are suitable. • 750ml bottle full-bodied red wine (see tips) • 180g spaghetti • 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 30g soft goat’s cheese • A few shavings hard goat’s cheese or parmesan-style cheese to serve (see tips) • Fresh basil leaves to serve • Olive oil for drizzling RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING: OLIVIA SPURRELL.PHOTOGRAPH: STUART WEST. STYLING: VICTORIA ELDRIDGE 1 Put the wine in a large pan (with a lid) with 250ml water. Add…

Citrus from the Med and further afield is abundant now, so make the most of these zingy fruit. SWEET Make a marmalade. Halve 750g lemons and mandarins, remove the pips and tie up in muslin. Put the fruit and the pips bag in a pan with 500ml cold water, cover and simmer until soft (about 1 hour). Lift out the fruit, chop finely, then return to the pan with 750g granulated sugar. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has melted, then bring to the boil and cook for about 15 minutes until it reaches setting point: 105°C. Remove the muslin bag, spoon into sterilised jars and seal while hot. SALTY Quarter citrus fruit, then pack into clean jars, alternating with layers of salt and pushing down well. Add…

QUICK SMOOTHIE FOR 2 Whizz a peeled orange, 2 chopped carrots and 1 tsp grated fresh ginger in a blender. Add 1½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ground cardamom, 3 tbsp runny honey, 250ml almond milk and 125ml greek yogurt, then whizz until smooth. EASY BRUNCH FOR 2-4 Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan. Add a chopped red onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves and a quarter of a butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes. Add a pinch of salt, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring, until the squash is tender. Add a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 1½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp hot smoked paprika, 2 tsp sugar, a handful of chopped fresh coriander and 100ml water, then cook for 15-20 minutes until…

Orecchiette is a naturally vegan pasta, and it’s an easy alternative to any egg-based pasta recipe. If you’re finding it hard to roll/shape the pasta, sprinkle a little semolina on the work surface – it will add some texture for the dough to stick to. It takes a little while to master shaping the pasta, but it doesn’t matter if your shapes aren’t all uniform at first. The trick is to apply quite a lot of pressure as you drag the knife across the pasta. When you get in the swing of it, you’ll be able to do it in one slick move: as the dough curls around the blade, slide your finger into its dome, then pick up and invert over your thumb. Watch Jun in action on our…

THE COOKERY SCHOOL WHERE Rutland Cookery School, Oakham, Rutland, rutlandcookeryschool.co.uk THE COURSE Indian Street Food, £118 for one day (includes lunch with wine) TESTER Abigail Dodd THE SETTING The school is on the edge of an industrial park, but don’t let that put you off. The front door opens, Tardis-style, onto a large, bright space, with a welcoming aroma coming from a pot of chai simmering on the stove. Founder and tutor Robin Stewart knows his stuff. He previously worked as a development chef for Waitrose, M&S and Sainsbury’s, and spent much time travelling the world’s food hotspots, seeking out exciting dishes to bring back to the UK. The travel theme is continued with the evocative posters on the walls. Robin set up his cookery school two years…

HOW WE TEST Our panel are taste experts. We conduct our tests without packaging, so our tasters don’t know who produced each product or how much it costs. And to prevent one tester influencing another, the panel aren’t allowed to confer during the tests, so the results you read below are unbiased. WHAT WE LOOKED FOR This favourite dip requires a creamy consistency, whether chunky or smooth. Fresh avocado flavour is a must, well seasoned with salt and lime, alongside an appealing green colour. Chillies, onions, coriander, tomato and garlic should complement the star ingredient in balanced proportion. 1ST PLACE Holy Moly Guacamole Original, £2.79 for 150g, Ocado, Waitrose & Sainsbury’s Vibrant green guac with chunks of avocado. Fresh tasting – add your own seasoning. 2ND PLACE Booths Guacamole, £2.10…

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES. OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS: LES DUNN, LIZ EDWARDS “This stuff is key to Balinese cooking,” says Degan Septoadji, a one-time judge on MasterChef Indonesia. He’s holding a hunk of kenkur (a type of ginger) from a huge pile in Payangan market near Ubud. “It gives Balinese base pastes a special flavour.” Degan, the executive chef of Padma Hotels (padmahotels.com), picks up a hefty jackfruit: “We use the young fruit in curries and the ripe stuff as fruit,” he says. He shows us the pear-shaped, scaly snake fruit, which can only be found in Indonesia and is used to make a compote. We nibble huge cassava crisps, a popular local snack, and sniff fragrant, lychee-like longans. There are all kinds of chillies (each has its own sambol), piles of…

SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 15 MIN, OVEN TIME 30 MIN Heat the oven to 200°C/180°fan/gas 6. Cut 3 leeks (500g) into 8cm lengths, then wrap each in a piece of sliced, cooked ham from a 180g packet, cutting to fit and using up all the offcuts. Arrange in the base of a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. Meanwhile, melt 30g butter in a pan, then stir in 30g plain flour and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk in 150ml dry white wine and 250ml milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves and 75g grated cheddar until melted, then pour over the leeks. Top with 100g sliced brie, then bake for 30 minutes…

PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES, ALAN SCHALLER, ANTON RODRIGUEZ THE MISSION Life Kitchen runs free UK-wide cookery classes for people affected by cancer. Ryan lost his mother Krista to cancer five years ago and witnessed her struggle with food during her illness. Life Kitchen’s first class was held at River Cottage in February last year, and since then it’s helped over 400 people. WHAT DOES LIFE KITCHEN DO? Cancer treatments can inhibit your sense of taste. The recipes and cookery skills Ryan teaches were developed with sensory expert Prof Barry Smith, from the University of London, to boost umami, one of the basic tastes, and spotlight flavourful ingredients. “We encourage people to add more salt, lemon or chilli, then adjust to tempt their own palate,” says Ryan. A cookery book will be…

PHOTOGRAPHS: JASON LOWE, TOBY SCOTT, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES FIRST FOOD MEMORY Rice pudding! It was in North Wales in a little town called Criccieth, at the Marine Hotel. I was five years old and it was absolutely delicious. It had that golden tarpaulin-like (as my friend used to call it) skin and was creamy underneath. It became known as ‘only pudding’, because that’s what I wanted: only that pudding. A HAPPY COMBINATION I loved Mum’s meat and potato pie. It’s a Lancastrian thing. My dad was the experimental cook. When we first started camping in Spain in the early 1960s, he brought back a paella pan. We had a good market in Bury, where I grew up, and you could get almost anything – there were always mussels for paella. DOMESTIC…

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES When I was in my early 20s, I threw a dinner party to which I had invited some older, much grander people. I made a wedding’s worth of canapés so elaborate they would have looked a little too try-hard at The Ritz, and a main course that demanded all kinds of sweaty, last-minute faff. I’d more or less survived the death-by-showing-off trial of the first two courses, when I returned to the kitchen to get the pudding. Thanks to my ancient, creaky oven, one half of the pie was as pale as a Victorian heroine and the other half, charcoal dark. I responded to this with all the composure of an overtired toddler with kitchen privileges, which is to say I kicked the oven hard and crumpled…

RECIPE: FRED HOGGE. PHOTOGRAPH: TARA FISHER. FOOD STYLING: LOTTIE COVELL. STYLING: WEI TANG FRED’S FILM CHOICE FOR MARCH… Lone Star (1996). In the Texas border town of Frontera, the skeleton of corrupt sheriff Charlie Wade (Kris Kristofferson), who disappeared decades earlier, is discovered. The prime suspect is Buddy Deeds (Matthew McConaughey), who is also the father of the current sheriff, Sam (Chris Cooper). WHY HE LOVES IT… John Sayles’s murder mystery is one of my favourite films of the 1990s. The question of who killed Wade opens up a deeper tale about identity and the way history sometimes makes prisoners of us all. THE RECIPE TO EAT AS YOU WATCH… Part of the mystery pivots on the ownership of a restaurant, which would probably serve a hot, proper slow-cooked chilli…

• Spices come from a plant’s most precious parts and often contain foul-tasting toxins and repulsive substances intended by nature to ward off would-be predators. • They can come from any part of a plant (other than the leaf), are used for flavouring and can usually be dried. • They can vary widely in appearance and may be the seed, fruit (as with chilli), bark (cinnamon), underground stem (ginger and galangal), flower bud (capers and cloves) or resin (mastic and asafoetida). • Green leafy plant parts may have a similar flavour but are instead called herbs and are usually best used fresh and added later in the cooking. • A few hardy leaves that benefit from drying (such as bay) keep a foot in both camps and can be termed…

NAOMI DEVLIN “This is a place for team players – not for people who want to be a shining light on their own” NAOMI IS A NUTRITIONIST AND AUTHOR OF ‘RIVER COTTAGE GLUTEN FREE’ AND ‘FOOD FOR A HAPPY GUT’. SHE TEACHES AT RIVER COTTAGE “The rusticity of this place charms people. The experience of driving over the hills and arriving in that secluded spot feels a bit magical. I started teaching here eight years ago. After I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, I started a gluten-free blog. I live nearby, so I asked them if they’d like me to run a gluten-free class. They thought it was probably too niche but gave it a go, and the classes have been bestsellers ever since. People aren’t just interested in ‘free-from’,…

“If you like eating fresh, local, seasonal ingredients and you’re up for a little foraging, nettles are at their absolute best right now. Yet they’re not as popular as they should be. If their sting puts you off, don’t be deterred, it’s neutralised in the cooking process. Nettles are tasty and nutritious plants with all sorts of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, so they’re good for you too. All you need is a stout pair of gloves to pick them.When the plant is young (February to April) it’s packed with character and flavour. It’s only the tender succulent tips that you’re after, the top four to six leaves.Nettles make a great alternative to more familiar greens, so use them in any recipe that calls for spinach, chard or kale. You…

Chocolate, pistachio and orange loaves MAKES 10 MINI LOAVES. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 15-20 MIN, PLUS RESTING AND PROVING “The magical combination of chocolate chips, bright green pistachios and oranges is what makes this a huge favourite in our bakery. You can play around with the chocolate, nuts and citrus fruits as you like, perhaps substituting white chocolate, hazelnuts and lemon zest.” MAKE AHEAD The loaves are best eaten on the day they’re made, but, if necessary, they’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Or see Timing Tips on p73. FOOD TEAM’S TIP Buy fresh yeast from bakeries, at the bakery counter in most large supermarkets or online from ocado.com. • 150g good-quality dark chocolate chips (we used Guittard) • 75g shelled, unsalted pistachios,…

Native oysters are in season until late April, but what’s the best wine to match with them? Look for a white with high acidity – a crisp, mouthwatering quality has a similar palate-cleansing effect to squeezing lemon juice over the shellfish. Young, light, bone-dry whites from cool-climate areas work best of all, especially muscadet from France’s western Loire, lighter French sauvignon blancs, grüner veltliner from Austria, English bacchus and Spanish albariño from western Galicia. Don’t attempt a red. The tannins in red wine, even lighter ones, clash with the salty flavour and soft texture of oysters. A bone-dry rosé works well though, ideally a Provençal pink. Or chill a bottle of bubbly. Again, it needs to be very dry, so avoid prosecco and crack open a brut (or brut nature)…

Season’s eatings What’s at its best right now – and good for you too WATERCRESS *DATA SOURCE: USDA NATIONAL NUTRIENT DATABASE Punchy and crunchy with a fresh peppery flavour, watercress is a great ingredient and one of the most nutritious vegetables. Packed with bone-building and strengthening vitamins K, C and A, the dark green leaves and juicy stems are also mineral rich and full of compounds that some studies suggest have anti-cancer properties. HOW TO EAT IT The robust bitter notes are beautiful counterpoints to rich food, so serve raw in salads with smoked salmon or trout and goats’ cheese – or simply dress the leaves with a buttermilk dressing. Alternatively, make soup: gently fry with finely chopped onion and potatoes, simmer in stock until tender, then whizz until smooth.…

Oven-roasted spiced squash and cauliflower risotto SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 15-20 MIN, OVEN TIME 40 MIN • 750g frozen prepared butternut squash (or 1 large squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into chunks) • 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets (leaves reserved) • 1½ tbsp light olive oil • 8 fresh thyme sprigs • 1 tsp chilli flakes • 2 tsp fennel seeds • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 5 garlic cloves, crushed • 200g risotto rice • 700ml good quality vegetable stock, hot • 75g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated YOU'LL ALSO NEED… • Large ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6. Put the squash in one side of a large roasting tin and the cauliflower florets in the other.…

Taco salad bowls with prawns SERVES 8 AS A STARTER. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN Heat the grill to medium. Brush 8 tortilla wraps with a little olive oil, then grill for 1 minute on each side until lightly charred. Quickly and carefully push the warm wraps into 8 shallow bowls and leave to set. Toss 380-400g sustainable large, peeled raw prawns, 2 thinly sliced red peppers and 16 trimmed spring onions in a splash of olive oil. Heat a large griddle pan to medium-high. Add the prawns/veg and cook until the prawns are pink and the vegetables are tender, turning throughout. Finely slice 2 little gem lettuces, then divide among the tortilla bowls and top with the prawns, peppers and spring onions. Whisk 6 tbsp ready-made aioli, the juice of…

MEET OUR EXPERTS JEN BEDLOE Food editor SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH Deputy food editor OLIVIA SPURRELL Cookery assistant LUCAS HOLLWEG Chef and food writer THANE PRINCE Food writer, cook and queen of preserving CHEF’S STEP BY STEP Jun Tanaka shows how to make a special southern Italian pasta dish SHOWSTOPPER BAKE Ring the bells of St Clement’s for this lemony cake that’s great for Mother’s Day (or any day, actually) delicious. KITCHEN Use up citrus fruit, cook with goat, flip a proper pancake and learn about Dover sole…

There’s more to choose from than just stewing steak. Ask your butcher for one of these more unusual cuts CHEEK Cows spend a lot of time chewing, which makes this a tough muscle run through with collagen, but after hours of slowly braising in the oven, the collagen melts into the sauce, the meat becomes tender enough to pull apart with a fork and it develops a wonderful deep flavour. CLOD From between the head and breast of the animal, it’s a tough cut, but great for stewing, with a melting texture and rich, beefy flavour. SHORT RIBS Meaty bones trimmed from the ribs. Left joined as a strip they’re called jacob’s ladder. More often they’re cut into short lengths. When slow-braised, the flesh of the ribs turns sticky, flavoursome…

HOW TO SPOT IT Recognise it by its sandal-shaped body, rough brown skin, beady eyes and a mouth that resembles a parrot. SUSTAINABILITY Caught around the UK, Dover sole has a green light on the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) ratings. It’s the most commercially important member of the sole family and has a close relative, the sand sole – similar in shape but with a yellow, sandy-coloured skin. WHAT TO LOOK FOR There’s a minimum catch size, and once landed the fish is graded by size; generally the larger it is, the higher the price tag. A ‘slip sole’ (also known as a ‘tongue’ or ‘10/12’) weighs under 340g and is ideal for 1 person. Dover sole benefits from storing on ice for a few days before preparing and cooking…

ADD a tablespoon of miso to a finished gravy for a hit of richness – pour in a splash of sherry too for a double boost. STIR a teaspoon into fried bacon lardons for an unbelievably good topping for soupy noodles or as the meaty element in a carbonara. TOSS par-cooked whole baby potatoes in miso paste and a drizzle of vegetable oil, then roast until golden and tender. MIX miso paste into softened butter, then add to stir-fried greens or king prawns or use to top steaks and grilled chicken. BLEND miso into creamy sauces such as béchamel for a brilliant cauli cheese. It also works well added to creamy seafood or chicken soups. OR TRY… stirring a little into caramel sauce for a sweet-salt tang.…

Bhel puri SERVES 4 AS A SNACK/NIBBLE. HANDS-ON TIME 25 MIN MAKE AHEAD Make the tamarind chutney up to a month ahead and keep in sterilised jars. Keep chilled once opened. KNOWHOW Sev is a spiced dried gram-flour noodle snack. Buy at theasian cookshop.co.uk or in Asian shops. Use Bombay mix if you can’t find it. Powdered jaggery is an unrefined sugar made from sugar cane juice or palm tree sap. Buy it in a block from souschef.co.uk or from specialist Asian shops, then grind to a powder. A simple alternative is palm sugar or dark brown soft sugar. Black salt is an Indian volcanic rock salt with a sulphurous aroma and eggy taste. Buy online from theasiancookshop.co.uk or from specialist Asian shops. Or use regular rock salt. FOOD TEAM’S…

TOKYO STORIES A colourful, beautifully photographed new book from American-born, Japan-obsessed chef and food writer Tim Anderson. It celebrates Japanese food of all stripes, from kitsch to classic and from lowbrow to elevated. A delicious, enticingly written whirlwind tour of one of the world’s top food cities. Hardie Grant £26, out 3 March NEW KITCHEN BASICS If you need inspiration for the ‘What’s shall I make for dinner?’ conundrum, reach for Claire Thomson’s latest. It focuses on 10 basic ingredients, from chicken to chocolate, rounds up flavour-packed recipes from around the globe and imbues old faves with new life, using timely tweaks and savvy spicing. Quadrille £25, out 7 March THE VINEGAR CUPBOARD The thoroughly researched debut book from food historian Angela Clutton explores this versatile storecupboard essential from its…

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SRI OWEN’S INDONESIAN FOOD (PAVILION).PHOTOGRAPH: ALEX LUCK. FOOD STYLING: LUCY JESSOP. STYLING: VICTORIA ELDRIDGE Balinese minced pork satay (Sate pentul) SERVES 4-6 (MAKES 18-20 SATAY BALLS). HANDS-ON TIME 20 MIN, PLUS CHILLING KNOWHOW Sambal ulek is made by pounding chopped fresh red chillies with a little salt – it’s best done in a pestle and mortar. 1 whole red chilli gives 1 tsp. FOOD TEAM’S TIP Ask your butcher to mince the pork tenderloin, or chop roughly, then pulse in a food processor. • 500g British free-range pork tenderloin, minced (see tip) • Peanut (groundnut) oil for drizzling and brushing • Good quality shop-bought satay sauce to serve (we used Thai Taste) • Sliced baby cucumbers, radishes, sugar snap peas and a small handful each of fresh…

A cheese adventure Book now to spend a morning following the journey of Quickes’ cheddar at the Devon farm, from pasture to plate. You’ll see grazing cows and the grading of maturing cheeses, then visit the ‘cathedral of cheese’, where truckles come of age. There’s a tutored tasting before lunch at a local pub to finish in style. 9.30am-1pm, last Friday of the month from 26 April until September, £35; quickes.co.uk/pages/cheese-tours ...and an armchair cheese odyssey In a world dominated by screens, it’s never been more important to make time for beautiful sit-down-and-relax books – especially those that inspire you to explore your food-loving creativity (or any creativity, for that matter). The Modern Cheesemaker, by the knowledgeable Morgan McGlynn (White Lion £25; out 21 March), is clear and…

1845 On 17 March, Bristol-based baker Henry Jones received a patent for his ‘self-raising flour’, pre-mixed with baking powder and salt. It was so successful, Jones was appointed purveyor of flour and biscuits to Queen Victoria. 1910 Momofuku Ando, who invented instant noodles, was born in Taiwan on 5 March. His noodles were initially sold as a luxury item (they cost six times more than fresh). They weren’t readily available in Japanese supermarkets until 1958. 1915 Absinthe was banned on 16 March, despite being one of the most popular drinks in France at the end of the 19th century. It was (erroneously) blamed for a fall in birth rates, a myth spread by the wine industry. 2001 The Eden Project officially opened in Cornwall on 17 March. It houses more…

Restaurateur James Ramsden, our man about town in the capital, charts the rise of a curious kind of sandwich Some trends seem to come out of nowhere, however far back their origins go. The katsu sando originated as a Western-influenced, or yoshoku, drinking snack in 19th-century Japan, but suddenly it’s become the menu item for a certain kind of modern dining establishment. The prep is simple: take a breaded cutlet (that’s what katsu means) – pork or chicken, traditionally – deep-fry it, then serve it between slices of soft white bread (no crusts, thanks) with shredded white cabbage, tonkatsu sauce and a cold beer. Bright (brightrestaurant.co.uk) in Hackney makes arguably the greatest new-wave example. In Shoreditch, Two Lights (twolights.restaurant) serves a sardine version, the tail poking out as if the…

WORKS OF ART Helen Beard’s ceramics are unique and special, each item hand-painted on slip-cast porcelain, the designs inspired by nature and the characters she sees out and about near her London studio. Prices range from £12 for an egg cup and £30 for a mug, up to over £2,000 for one-off bowls and plates. Read Helen’s story over the page. Back to the future A traybake needs a good tin, and Falcon enamelware is recommended for its retro looks and heat-conducting qualities. The square tin, which comes in grey (above), red and the classic all-white-with-a-blue-rim, is new to the family. Treat it kindly and it will last for years. £25 for a 24cm x 24cm x 6cm tin, falconenamelware.com COFFEE ON YOUR MOUSTACHE? Allow Salvador Dalí to brighten your…

We’re delighted to invite you to join us for an exclusive, never-to-be-forgotten day out. You’ll meet a celebrated chef, tour the beautiful grounds and kitchen garden of a famous country house hotel with its head gardener, then sit down to the perfect seasonal lunch. It’s the stuff of food dreams! In April, legendary chef Raymond Blanc OBE will open the doors of Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons so a select number of delicious. readers can experience the enchantment first hand. With velvety lawns, vibrant flower borders, an impressive veg garden that supplies the restaurant and an apple and pear orchard with some 800 trees, this manor house hotel has an Arcadian setting. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant is renowned for offering one of Britain’s finest gastronomic experiences. People don’t come here simply…

PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS To me, knowing and appreciating the aromas and flavours of spices and how to combine them is key to being a chef. Lamb sikandari, a dish that can allegedly be traced back to Alexander the Great, is special to me and I’ve cooked this dish many times. It’s succulent and aromatic in a way that will make your heart melt. ASHOK RAM, CHEF, RADHUNI RESTAURANT Lamb sikandari SERVES 6. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 4 HOURS, PLUS 24 HOURS MARINATING MAKE AHEAD Marinate the lamb up to 48 hours ahead, covered in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking. KNOWHOW This recipe calls for a leg of lamb, but this month British lamb is…

“This is a time when we’re all yearning for a bit of colour in our food as a counterpoint to the heartiness of traditional winter cooking. I hit the kitchen with a box brimming with good cheer in veg form, freshly harvested and still with soil clinging to leaves and roots. Using seasonal stars such as broccoli, leeks and root veg (not forgetting their iron-rich leafy tops – there’s no waste here), these vegetarian dishes are a celebration of our rich and fertile land… even when pickings are slim.” SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH, DEPUTY FOOD EDITOR Gnudi with fried sage, hazelnuts and jerusalem artichoke crisps SERVES 4 AS A STARTER. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 35-45 MIN, PLUS 2 HOURS DRAINING AND OVERNIGHT CHILLING MAKE AHEAD Prepare the gnudi up to…

RECIPES, STYLING AND FOODSTYLING GEORGINA HAYDEN PHOTOGRAPHS LAURA EDWARDS “In my younger years (that is, when I had zero commitments and ties) I would run away to warmer climes in the chillier months. The cold feels never-ending, the days only marginally lighter, and I start to crave the sunshine. March was typically one of my favourite months to travel, and I’d go as far away as my pockets would allow me. It’s not so easy to jump ship now, but by spicing up my cooking I feel I’m bringing a touch of that warmth to my home. Our table is set with a mixture of hearty curries and refreshing salads, as well as some more familiar classics spiced up to boost the mood. My crab and papaya salad is…

“Great bread is all about the quality of the dough, the crust and the ‘crumb’ – the appearance and texture that epitomise a particular style of loaf. Your three most important tools are free: your hands, your instincts and patience. The key to a good loaf with a fantastic crumb is learning to touch, feel and handle the dough with confidence. When you make bread using yeast, you’re harnessing something reactive that grows, changes and responds to the conditions in which the dough finds itself. The more you bake, the more you’ll discover that your dough behaves a little differently according to the weather and the temperature. And finally, you need patience – the most important thing when it comes to dough. We live in a world in which we…

The traditional treatment for mental illness is a prescription for medication or talking therapy. The body in general, and nutrition in particular, rarely get a mention. However, two new fields promise to reintegrate the body and brain, and provide new avenues for mental health treatment. The first, nutritional neuroscience, studies how food and nutrients affect the structure and function of the brain. For example, research shows that polyphenols in berries, chocolate and green tea can improve attention, memory and reaction times. A recent American Academy of Neurology study concluded that people who ate leafy greens daily had brains that were on average 11 years younger than those of their peers. The second, nutritional psychiatry, applies such insights to the treatment of mental illness. The SMILES trial at Deakin University in…

RECIPE: OLIVIA SPURRELL.PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND.FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH.STYLING: SARAH BIRKS Roast potato, bacon and Marmite tray roast SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 20 MIN, OVEN TIME 20-25 MIN FOOD TEAM’S TIP When drizzling Marmite, lightly oil the measuring spoon to help it slip off easily. • 6 leftover roast potatoes, quartered • 2 red onions, cut into wedges • 2 tbsp Marmite • Vegetable oil for frying • 6 British free-range back bacon rashers, roughly chopped • 250g sourdough bread, torn into chunks • 200g sliced kale, any tough stalks removed • 1 tsp clear honey • Zest ½ lemon 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the roast potatoes and red onion wedges in a medium roasting tin. Drizzle over 1 tbsp Marmite (see tip) and toss well…

RECIPE: JEN BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: LOTTIE COVELL. STYLING: TONY HUTCHINSON Sesame tuna steak with cucumber salad and rice SERVES 1. HANDS-ON TIME 15 MIN FOOD TEAM’S TIP Choose whatever size of tuna steak suits you. A medium steak weighs about 160g, but a fishmonger can slice you one to order. • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing • ½ red chilli, chopped • 1 tsp mirin • 2 tsp tamari or light soy sauce • Juice ½ lime • Squeeze wasabi paste (optional) • 1-2 mini cucumbers or ¼ cucumber, roughly chopped • 1 line-caught sustainable tuna steak (look for MSC certification; see tip) • 1 tsp sesame seeds • Freshly cooked basmati or Thai sticky rice to…

Vegan katsu curry SERVES 2. HANDS-ON TIME 40 MIN MAKE AHEAD Make a double batch of the sauce and freeze for up to 3 months. NEXT TIME Instead of tofu use 1cm slices of peeled sweet potato, or try aubergine when in season. RECIPE: OLIVIA SPURRELL. PHOTOGRAPHS: ALEX LUCK. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: MORAG FARQUHAR • 280g block extra-firm tofu (we used The Tofoo Co Naked Tofu, from larger supermarkets) • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 50g panko breadcrumbs (check the label to ensure they’re vegan) • 2 tbsp cornflour • Vegetable or sunflower oil to fry • Steamed rice, salad leaves and sushi ginger (from large supermarkets) to serve FOR THE KATSU SAUCE • Drizzle vegetable oil • ½ onion, chopped • 1 garlic clove, crushed • ½…

Images of protein shakes and protein bowls litter the websites of wellness bloggers, while Instagram has more than 22 million posts bearing the hashtag #protein. Manufacturers are even adding more of this macronutrient to naturally protein-rich foods such as cheese, as if it were a magic elixir. It’s an extraordinary mania, fuelled by headlines and internet articles claiming high-protein diets aid weight loss, help create muscle bulk and are better for us than standard eating plans. And with food manufacturers cashing in on the trend, it’s difficult to make informed decisions about how much is best. WHAT IS PROTEIN? Protein is found throughout the body – in muscle, bone, skin, hair and tissues – and it’s essential for cell growth and repair. It also provides the body with energy. The…

When the delicious. team test recipes they often debate the best ways to do things, as well as answering questions that arise in the test kitchen. What are the best beef joints for slow cooking (and what’s jacob’s ladder)? What does goat taste like and where can you buy it? And what’s the simplest recipe for celebrating Pancake Day this month? It’s the kind of information you won’t find anywhere else and it can help take your skills and knowledge to the next level.…

If you’re making Richard Bertinet’s recipes from his new book Crumb (see p68), follow these essential steps to shape the dough correctly for rising 1 To form the dough into a ball, gather each ‘corner’ of the dough and fold into the centre, pressing down lightly with your thumb. Use your other hand to rotate the dough anti-clockwise before folding in the next corner. Repeat the folding and rotating sequence six more times to strengthen the dough. 2 Finally, turn the dough over – folding in the corners will have stretched the (now) top, making it easy to smooth and shape into a round with cupped hands. 3 Use a scraper to help you lift the dough into a floured bowl. 4 Cover with a baking…

“Orecchiette (‘little ears’) is a pasta shape popular in southern Italy. It’s a tricky shape to make at first but it’s worth mastering. I was shown how to make it by an Italian nonna while I was staying in Puglia with my girlfriend, organising our wedding. We often ate orecchiette with local winter greens, cime di rapa – we loved the dish so much we had it as a pasta course at our wedding. At my restaurant, when truffles are in season, we shave them over the top of the orecchiette to serve… Wonderful.” Orecchiette, mushrooms, egg yolk and tarragon SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 40 MIN, PLUS RESTING/CHILLING TIME MAKE AHEAD Make the pasta, cover with cling film, then chill for up to 24 hours. Make the sauce up to…

It’s vital to chill the butter for the shortbread base to prevent the mixture becoming greasy. Don’t over-work the dough for the base in step 1. Too much handling will develop the gluten (proteins) in the flour, which will make it tough. What you’re looking for here is a delicate, soft, melt-in-the-mouth crumb. Chilling the shortbread and allowing it to relax in step 2 will help it keep its shape and reduce shrinkage. Don’t over-whisk the topping mixture in step 3 as it may cause a sugar crust to form during baking. Don’t worry if that happens, though – once you’ve dusted it with icing sugar no one will notice.…

• Wary of making a curry too hot? Don’t add chopped chilli. Slit a whole chilli lengthways, add during cooking and keep tasting. When the dish hits your preferred heat, fish the chilli out. • The easiest way to peel potatoes is to boil them with their skins on, then peel when cool enough to handle. • To remove some of the astringency of chopped, raw onions, steep in boiling water for a few seconds. • Sprinkle garam masala (untoasted) over dishes just before serving. • To cook roti at home, heat a clean wok upside-down over a gas ring, then drape the rolled dough over the hot dome. The roti will cook in just a few minutes.…

The new potatoes are coming. Buttery little buried treasures, dug up for our salady pleasure, bringing with them hope, vitamin C and spring sunshine. But if you’re anticipating that pleasure and you receive your vegetables in a parcel on your doorstep each week, you might need to check your order because one of the veg box companies sells its boxes with a potato-free option. There’s no carrot-free option or low-onion option. But the people have spoken, and the people do not necessarily want weekly potatoes, because the people simply cannot get through that many potatoes. Not when they’re only eating them on ‘cheat days’. Potatoes. Fresh from the ground. Reserved as treats! This is where we are. PHOTOGRAPH: ANDREW MONTGOMERY Wellness culture has convinced us we shouldn’t eat carbs and…