Delicious UK January 2020

PORTRAIT: TREVOR LEIGHTON. PHOTOGRAPH: TOBY SCOTT There are so many conflicting pulls on our emotions and sensibilities at this time of year, aren’t there? It seems to me 2019 was the year the world woke up to the need to do things differently – and 2020 is the year to do something about it. It’s unusual to meet anyone who isn’t thinking hard about how they can live a planet-friendlier life. The challenge is to find the sweet spot where we’re making wiser choices, yet still enjoying the food we cook and eat, and delicious. aims to help you do that. For starters, writer Katy Salter took on the challenge of banishing plastic from her kitchen, and discovered it’s way harder than she imagined. You can read about her experiences…

Crispy creamy Boursin mushrooms SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 5 MIN, OVEN TIME 15-20 MIN Heat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 6½. Mix 150g Garlic & Herbs Boursin with 2-3 tbsp milk, then spread evenly onto the stalk sides of 4 large portobello mushrooms. Put the mushrooms on a baking sheet, then sprinkle with 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs and 3 tbsp grated emmental cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through, golden and oozing. Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh flatleaf parsley. PER SERVING 249kcals, 19.1g fat (12.5g saturated), 9.1g protein, 9.7g carbs (1.7g sugars), 0.8g salt, 0.5g fibre RECIPE SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH PHOTOGRAPH TOBY SCOTT FOOD STYLING JEN BEDLOE STYLING OLIVIA WARDLE…

Save our cask ale heritage! STAR EMAIL FROM: HARRIET ELEY I’ve worked my whole adult life in the beer industry (from pot washer in pubs to marketing) so I feel I must comment on the description of cask ale in The Great Christmas Drinks refresh [Dec, p137]. I support experimentation. I’m a craft beer drinker and love what it has brought to Britain, so it was devastating to see the line “falling asleep over dull, brown, old-fashioned cask ales” in print. Cask ale is Britain’s beer heritage. It has a rich history of regional diversity, of small producers, of generations of brewers learning their craft, and it has a huge variety of styles and flavours. It struggled to survive the 70s, 80s and 90s when bland, over-gassed ‘lagers’ reigned supreme.…

THE MOST POPULAR RECIPE ON DELICIOUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK  IN JANUARY 2019 Sweet potato and chickpea curry – what will it be this year? 30,989 views POPULAR ON INSTAGRAM Polenta, balsamic vinegar and garlic roast potatoes z 6,454 likes TOP ON PINTEREST Butternut squash, spinach and goat’s cheese pie 1,788 pins See what other delicious. fans are talking about at facebook.com/ deliciousmagazineuk Follow us at twitter.com/ deliciousmag Follow us at instagram. com/deliciousmag Follow us on pinterest. co.uk/deliciousmaguk…

VISIT A NEW RESTAURANT WHICH ONE? Route, Newcastle-upon-Tyne routenewcastle.co.uk £35 (three-course dinner excluding drinks) WHERE? In the city’s lively Quayside area, a hop and a skip from the Tyne Bridge. WHO? Chef-owner John Calton divides his time between Route and his North Shields pub The Staith House. THE SETTING Narrow and deep with a relaxed, urban vibe, whitewashed brick walls and bistro furniture. THE DISHES Seasonal plates showcase local fish and nose-to-tail meat. Seared gurnard with spicy fish soup or bone marrow toast with sticky ox cheek, celeriac and horseradish precede a main of grilled halibut with roast chicken butter sauce or saddle of venison with salt-baked swede. The early-bird set menu, at £20 for three courses, won’t make a massive dent in the post-Christmas finances, either. VERDICT There’s a…

Tom Kerridge is hard to miss as he strides in, tall and lanky, bald head gleaming above his trademark grin. As we settle down to chat in Kerridge’s Bar & Grill in central London, the affable 46-year-old chef is looking a little tired – and it’s soon clear why. He’s juggling so many projects that his schedule is gruelling. Tom’s latest cookbook (his seventh), Lose Weight & Get Fit (Bloomsbury £22), came out last month and he’s just finished filming an accompanying BBC Two television series that’s scheduled to air imminently. His new Manchester restaurant, The Bull & Bear, opened in November. And then there are his pubs in Marlow, Bucks: The Butcher’s Tap, The Hand and Flowers, and The Coach (the latter two hold three Michelin stars between them),…