Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Delicious UK

May… If you had to sum it up in one warm, enticing, come-hither recipe it would be the one on the cover. Wrap that aromatic, melty filled loaf in foil to keep it warm, shove it in a picnic bag (maybe add a couple of pork and ham pies from the recipe on p48), then toss in a bottle of something chilled and some glasses. Add a blanket, gather a couple of playmates or soulmates, and head to the park or garden. This is a time to grab precious shared moments and redress the balance of all those lost convivial hours. Yes, I’m counting. Many of you will have lost loved ones over the past 12 months (as have I), and at these times I find cooking, alongside the act…

Great recipes are at the heart of delicious. – and editor Karen, food editor Jen and the rest of the team love to see what you’re cooking and hear what you think of our recipes. But did you know you can also win prizes for your pictures? Cook any recipe from our May issue and share it with us this month for your chance to win a pizza oven and wood burner (see right)* The winner is… Kevin Flynn’s rhubarb & custard cake Kevin wins an ultimate cheese lover’s hamper from Peter’s Yard, worth £500. Jess says “Our March cover recipe was a real labour of love, and it was wonderful to see so many people give it a go. It was difficult to choose the best, but Kevin’s won…

I played cricket with street children. The neighbours would tell my parents to stop me, and my father, his eyes twinkling, would say, “Did you not see? She hit a six!” I admire my parents for never telling me not to play with other children because they were poor or dirty – just to avoid people who cheat or bully. This has been my philosophy in life. I couldn’t cook when I married and left home. Being uprooted from a close-knit family in Calcutta to a silent house in Cambridge was devastating. The desire to cook came not just to heal myself, but others. People tell me, “You broke the glass ceiling,” but I want to bring the entire building down, so every woman can come in. You can’t take…

“Close your eyes, breathe it in. Think of a place where the sky meets the sea, where the weather changes from moment to moment, where the coastline is beautifully rugged and hidden coves nestle among dramatic cliff faces, and where surf breaks on beautiful sandy shores. A place of sea shanties, finding treasure (sea glass) on the beaches, building sandcastles, combing for shells, the deliciousness of splits at teatime – jam first, topped with cream – and Cornish pasties (which I usually have a hunger for when I’m suitably hungover) with a mug of tea. Think of mystical valleys, where small patches of precious woodland cascade down towards the sea, where I love the intimacy of wandering, looking up, breathing it all in, down shaded pathways and the sense of…

★ COVER RECIPE Stuffed picnic loaf with whipped spinach butter, mozzarella and tomatoes Serves 8-10 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 55-60 min You’ll also need Electric mixer MAKE AHEAD Prepare the loaf ready for baking up to 1 day ahead, then wrap well and chill. Once baked the loaf will stay hot for a good while if you wrap it well. It also tastes great at room temperature or as leftovers from the fridge. • 1 large white loaf (see right) or seeded sourdough • 2 long red peppers (ramiro or romano), quartered • 8 anchovy fillets • 4 garlic cloves, roughly sliced • 4 tbsp olive oil • 150g unsalted butter, softened • Handful baby spinach, roughly chopped, plus a few extra whole leaves • Finely grated zest 1 lemon and a squeeze of juice • Handful…

Look for heads with lots of open, clean, white star-shape flowers. Trim at the fork in the stem below (the stalks are bitter) and use within a few hours. As with all foraging, pick away from busy roads, where flowers may have been tainted by fumes, and don’t leave any of the elder trees too barren as this will prevent them producing berries later in the year. If you’re not sure about the flowers, give them a sniff – elderflower has a distinctive scent, which you’ll recognise easily if you’ve ever had the cordial before. Dry sunny mornings are best for picking.…

Asafoetida Often used in Ayurvedic cooking instead of onion and/or garlic. Gives an umami hit to cooked dishes. Available in larger supermarkets. Black cardamom pods Stronger in flavour than green cardamom, these impart a slightly smoky flavour. Find in supermarkets. Carom (ajwain/ajowan) seeds Looks similar to fennel or cumin with an anise flavour, a bit like oregano but with a touch of bitterness. Find in Asian grocers and larger supermarkets. Chaat masala A punchy spice mix used in South Asian cuisines. Find it in larger supermarkets. Fresh curry leaves Sometimes called ‘sweet neem leaves’, they’re sold in Indian grocers. Fresh leaves are best (and freeze well) but you can also use dried. Jaggery Unrefined Indian cane sugar, available in larger supermarkets. If you can't find any, use dark brown sugar.…

VEGGIE RECIPE Mushroom rarebit with poached eggs Serves 2 Hands-on time 20 min • 2 large portobello mushrooms, brushed clean and stalks cut off • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil • 3 large eggs • 35g mature cheddar or other hard cheese, grated • ½ tsp dijon mustard • Dash Worcestershire sauce (use a vegetarian or gluten-free version if you need to) • 1 heaped tbsp greek yogurt • Watercress to serve (optional) 1 Heat the grill to high. Lay the mushrooms cut-side up on a wire rack over a baking tray, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 7 minutes or until tender and darker around the edges. Using tongs, turn the mushrooms over so the domed sides are facing upward and grill for 3 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix…

1 ’Ave an avocado salad Avocado adds fibre, potassium, copper and vitamins B5, B6, E, and K to our diet. But cleverly, it can also help us get more goodness out of other fruit and veg we eat. One study found adding just half an avocado (75g) to a salad of lettuce, carrot and spinach meant adults absorbed almost 14 times more beta-carotene, a nutrient the body uses to make immune-friendly vitamin A, and four times more lutein, an antioxidant that helps protect against eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration. The reason: fat helps our bodies absorb nutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene – and what better addition than avocado, which is teeming with heart-friendly mono-unsaturated fat, together with fibre and a heap of other beneficial nutrients. 2…

1 Tacos & salsa Combine 150g halved cherry tomatoes, 1 crushed garlic clove, ¼ chopped red onion, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, 1 tbsp olive oil and the zest and juice of ½ lime. Season and serve with a bowl of pulled pork, plus warm tortillas, smashed avocados seasoned with salt and lime juice, some soured cream and pickled jalapeños. 2 Tex-Mex pasta bake Cook 350g pasta shapes according to the pack instructions, then stir in half the slow-cooked pork. Decant into a baking dish, then dot with soured cream, crumble over a few handfuls of tortilla chips and sprinkle with 50g grated cheddar. Bake at 180ºC fan/ gas 6 for 20-25 minutes until piping hot and golden brown. 3 Jacket topper An easy way to jazz up jackets: Cut 4…

Hasselback aubergine parmigiana Serves 2 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 50-60 min You’ll also need 2-3 litre capacity baking dish MAKE AHEAD You can make the parmigiana up to 1 day ahead. Cool, then chill, covered. Reheat in a low oven for 30-40 minutes to serve. 1 Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Halve, peel and slice 1 large onion. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 8-10 minutes to soften. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, then cook for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in 500ml tomato passata, a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp caster sugar, a large pinch of chilli…

Chocolate Melt 150-200g milk, dark, white (or a combination of milk and dark) chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave on medium for short 10-15 second bursts. Once melted, spoon the chocolate over the cut, cooled flapjack. Leave to set, then cut again. Banana Mash 2 ripe bananas and add with the oats in step 1. If you’d like a savoury twist, sprinkle over sesame seeds before baking or stir in 1 tsp white miso with the golden syrup. Cranberry, pistachio & almond Add 80g dried cranberries and 50g each pistachio and whole almonds with the oats.…

WRAPPER’S DELIGHT Treat yourself to a new set of beeswax wraps: 1 SPRING BRIGHTS Anthropologie’s cheerful new designs are covered in lemons and bright bouquets. £24 for four, anthropologie.com 2 HAND-DYED These linen wraps are made in small batches by Wax Atelier in east London and coloured with traditional dyes made from heritage plants. £22 for three (small, medium and large), toa.st 3 IN BLOOM The Beeswax Wrap Co with the National Trust and artist Melanie Selstrom offers wraps decorated with wildflowers. From £10 for two, beeswaxwraps.co.uk…

TAHINI TIP Because jars of tahini can separate into oil and solids if they’ve been open for a while, I’d blend any separated mixture together again. Otherwise, you risk the filling being too runny or too hard. LAYER WITH CARE Take time over pinching together the dough in step 3 so the tahini doesn’t seep out when you flatten it – you don’t want any of that wonderful sesame flavour to escape onto the work surface. BUT DON’T WORRY ...if the dough starts to break or the tahini leaks out onto the pastry in step 4 – it all adds to the flavour and texture of the final buns.…

WHY YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE If you think you don’t like goat’s cheese, ticklemore may change your mind. This snowy white, crumbly cheese has none of the billy-goat tang. Instead, it brims with zingy citrus and herbaceous notes that have been known to convert even die-hard goat’s cheese haters. THE BACKSTORY Made on the beautiful 500-acre Sharpham Estate near Totnes, overlooking the River Dart, ticklemore was created by pioneering cheesemaker Robin Congden in the mid-1980s at a time when home-grown goat’s cheeses were rare. The recipe was passed to the cheesemakers at nearby Sharpham, who use milk from local farms to make it and have carefully cultivated its status as an iconic British cheese. WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL The curd is shaped in colanders, giving it a flying…

Fish finger tacos Serves 1 Hands-on time 15 min KNOWHOW Search ‘quick-pickled red onion’ at deliciousmagazine.co.uk if you’d like to make your own. • 50g plain flour • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten • 50g dried panko breadcrumbs • ¼ tsp paprika • Large pinch dried oregano • Finely grated zest and juice ½ lime, plus wedges to serve • 180-200g sustainable hake fillet, cut into 2 finger-size portions • Splash sunflower oil for frying • 2 tbsp mayonnaise • ½-1 tsp chipotle paste to taste • 2 small soft flour tortillas • Pickled sliced red onions (we like Vadasz) to serve – see Know-how • 1 sliced spring onion, coriander sprigs and (optional) tortilla chips to serve 1 Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs on 3 separate small plates. Season the flour with the paprika, oregano, a pinch of salt and the…

Cooking is for everyone If we could get everyone in the world cooking we would. Food brings people together: families, friends, communities – it’s a JOY. We believe every child has the right to learn how to make proper nutritious meals – and to discover the fun and joy of cooking. You can trust us Every recipe is rigorously tested by our food team, at least twice, using domestic ovens and hobs, so you can be confident recipes work every time. When it comes to reviews, we only recommend stuff we rate and deem to be of good quality and worth the price tag. Keeping it simple Eating locally and seasonally, whenever you can, is a no-brainer. We aim to use easy-to-find seasonal ingredients. We’ll tell you where to find…

Dietitian Rachel Liston, 38, grows veg, celebrates with cheese and lives in Bristol with husband Mark and children Ellie and Beth Your signature dish? Baked salmon and gnocchi. Simple, super tasty and it gets a portion of oily fish into the girls. If I ask for ideas for the week’s meal plan, it’s always the dish they ask for. Favourite mag feature? I love the myth-busting health features. I’ve always been impressed by how delicious. provides a balanced argument that calls out the fads. I was bought a subscription by my stepdad in 2008. Thank you to Brian, who has renewed it every year since! Most-used cookbook? Matt Pritchard’s Dirty Vegan. We aren’t vegan, but do eat a few plant-based meals a week. He has a fabulous seitan recipe that…

“Fishermen do not swim” is one of those fishing superstitions that continue to live on down the generations. Here are a few more. I’ve always been fond of some of these, especially number 1 1 Never start anything new on a Friday. 2 Green jumpers or green wellies are a no-go on board a fishing boat. 3 Do not discuss rabbits on board. If you must, refer to them as ‘underground greyhounds’. 4 No whistling on board; it may muster up a gale. 5 First lobster of the season is always thrown back into the waters. 6 It is bad luck to see a vicar on land when you’re aboard your boat about to go fishing. 7 Always get on or off the boat on the starboard side. 8 Port…

Mini pork and ham pies with quick piccalilli Makes 6 pies Hands-on time 40 min, plus pickling, chilling and cooling Oven time About 40 min You’ll also need 8-9cm and 11cm round cutters; 6-hole muffin tin; 0.5-1cm plain piping nozzle MAKE AHEAD Make the pork and ham pies up to 2 days ahead, then cover and chill until ready to bake. DON’T WASTE IT This makes more piccalilli than you’ll need but it will keep for up to a month in sterilised jars in the fridge – visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk/how-to-sterilise-jars. Or, if you like, halve the recipe. • 300g pork sausagemeat • 100g cooked ham hock, shredded • 1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten • 250ml chicken stock • 4 gelatine leaves For the quick piccalilli • 500ml cider vinegar • 100g caster…

Dear Philippe de Girard I’m writing to you from the year 2021, hoping this letter travels back in time 200 years so it can reach you. I’ve recently written an entire cookbook, Tin Can Cook , using ingredients and food products mostly preserved in the modern-day version of your original tin can. Tin cans are so ubiquitous nowadays that they occupy entire aisles of our supermarkets (brightly lit, enclosed, enormous shops containing everything that used to be sold by the farmer, the butcher, the baker, the fishmonger, the merchants and the market stall holders, all under one roof!). If you could travel forward in time and visit a supermarket you’d find row upon row of neatly stacked tin cans. While you were here in the present day, you’d perhaps be…

The restrictions of the past year have meant lots of us have been doing a lot more cooking, whether out of necessity or for the love of it – or both. Writer Lauren Bravo began by failing at preposterously complicated challenges and ended up embracing the comforting and predictable. It’s been a bumpy ride, but as the journey’s end hoves into view, she reflects that it’s made her a better – and wiser – cook When life gives us lemons – well, we all know the drill. For many of us over the past year, our kitchens became sanctuaries (and classrooms, offices, gyms…). I cooked more during the lockdowns than I ever had before, and I learned some important lessons along the way. Proving a challenge First came the maverick…

VEGGIE RECIPE Omega-3 houmous, roast beetroot, avocado and feta Serves 4 Hands-on time 15 min Oven time 35-40 min You’ll also need Food processor KNOWHOW contains Milled flaxseed is good in cereals, smoothies and yogurt. It’s high in omega-3s, fibre – and it’s gluten free. DON’T WASTE IT The houmous and roast beets will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 3 days. • 4 beetroot, cut into wedges • 2 tsp avocado oil (or olive oil), plus extra for drizzling • 400g tin chickpeas, drained, water (aquafaba) reserved • 2 tbsp smooth tahini • Juice 1 lemon, plus extra to serve (optional) • 1 fat garlic clove, roughly chopped • 120g sprouted milled flaxseed/ linseed (we used Linwoods) • 2 small ripe avocados, halved • 100g salad leaves • 6 baby cucumbers (or ½ large cucumber), sliced • 2…

Peri-peri spiced chicken with cauliflower rice and charred corn cobs Serves 1 Hands-on time 10 min Oven time 20 min NEXT TIME Swap the peri-peri spice mix for curry powder or smoked paprika. USE IT UP Roast the remaining cauliflower with more spice mix to use up in salads another day. • 1 small (100g) free-range skinless, boneless chicken thigh • Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime, plus wedges to serve • ¼ tsp peri-peri spice mix • 1 corn cob, cut into thirds • Low calorie oil spray • 60g cauliflower florets • Small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped 1 Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/ gas 6. Put the chicken in a small glass/ceramic bowl with half the lime zest and juice and the spice mix, then toss to coat. Put on a small,…

VEGGIE RECIPE 1 Charred broccoli steaks with lentil salad and harissa yogurt Serves 2-3 EASY SWAPS Hands-on time 30 min Try other veggie ‘steaks’ – such as butternut squash, cauliflower or celeriac. Grill until tender. • 3 tbsp rose harissa (or 2 tbsp regular) • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling • 1 large broccoli, sliced through the stem into 1cm thick steaks • 2 lemons, halved • 400g can black lentils, drained • 280g jar mixed antipasti vegetables, drained • 100g rocket, half finely chopped, half whole leaves • 50g roasted almonds, roughly chopped • 200g natural yogurt 1 Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Mix 1 tbsp harissa with the olive oil. Brush the broccoli steaks with the harissa oil and season well. Cook the broccoli steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side…

Serves 4 Hands-on time 25 min Oven time 8-10 min You’ll also need Baking sheet lined with compostable baking paper, 1.5 litre (medium) baking dish • 12 slices pancetta • 300g macaroni • 175g leftover roast chicken, shredded • 125g freshly grated mature cheddar • 325ml milk • 125g mascarpone • 1 tbsp dijon mustard • 100g fontina or gruyère, grated • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves • Crisp green salad to serve 1 Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put the pancetta on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with baking paper and top with a second baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp, then leave to cool. Turn the grill to medium-high. 2 Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 6-8 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and set aside,…

Smoked salmon and ‘schmear’ bagel with pickles Serves 4 Hands-on time 15 min, plus pickling MAKE AHEAD The pickles will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 4 days. The veg will lose some of their crunch over time but the flavours will develop more fully. KNOWHOW ‘Schmear’ is a loan-word from Yiddish and refers to the cream cheese spread in this classic bagel combo. • 4 bagels, halved and toasted • 180g cream cheese • 200g sustainable smoked salmon • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained • A few dill sprigs (optional) • Lemon wedges to serve For the pickles • 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar you have to hand) • 1 tbsp caster sugar • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp lemon zest • Small handful dill, finely chopped (or use parsley if you don’t…

What I’m rating SALTER ECO BAMBOO RECHARGEABLE DIGITAL KITCHEN SCALE I get a bit irritable when it comes to changing batteries in gadgets, so I jumped at the chance to try this smart idea from Salter. Small and mighty, the scale weighs up to 5kg, but measures just 21cm x 16cm. Battery life The handy USB-C rechargeable battery gives you enough charge for up to 6 months of use. Using it I liked the bamboo finish, which is easy on the eye, and the scales turn off automatically when not in use to save power. The add-and-weigh function is brilliant for baking and can weigh tiny amounts. You can also switch to ‘aquatronic’ mode to measure liquids. Green bonus The scales are made with 86.3% bamboo and just 2.5% plastic.…

• Use ingredients at room temperature. Cold oil (or egg yolks) will make emulsification harder. • If the eggless aioli splits, start again with an extra clove of garlic and slowly add the curdled mixture. (Or make life easier and add it to an egg yolk.) • If the egg-based sauce splits, put a new egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly beat in the split mixture, a drop at a time, as if you’re starting from scratch. NEXT MONTH Soffritto or mirepoix – what’s the difference?…

It’s all about the botanicals for Susy Atkins as she compares vermouths and finds a worthy non-alcoholic ‘spirit’. Plus: bottles for late spring and an armchair wine tour The expert guide to... VERMOUTH Fortify wine with a little grape spirit, steep natural herbs, seeds, roots and barks in it, then sweeten (or not) according to taste. That’s how vermouth has been made for centuries – first as an ancient medicine, then by the 18th century as an aperitif – before it became a staple in cocktails such as the negroni, manhattan and, of course, the martini. The name comes from the German word for wormwood, a bitter herb still used in some brands. Vermouth’s joyful modern revival has seen classic Italian, French and Spanish versions joined by others, notably from…

Island sunshine Last year, the visionary farmers who started off selling Isle of Wight-grown tomatoes in every shape, colour and heritage variety added aubergines and peppers to their harvest. For 2021, bottled sauces are new to The Tomato Stall’s list of luscious comestibles, including ketchup (£2.85 for 250ml), romesco (£3.85 for 265g) and flavour-rich shakshuka (£4.25 for 400g). But the must-order offering remains summer’s best treat in a box: tomatoes from £10 for 1.5kg. minimum order £7.50; thetomatostall.co.uk Coffee snob? I haven’t drunk instant coffee for 20 years, but I’ve discovered a brand that’s made me reconsider. It takes 3kg coffee beans to produce 1kg of the instant stuff, which is why top quality beans tend not to be used for coffee that comes in jars. Family-run brand Little’s has…

When Séan and I were first married and spending those first precious years trying to find common ground – we decided to get married after six weeks, so there was a lot of learning to do – my husband and I could hardly ever agree on what film to watch. He likes sci-fi, I like historical, he loves an action film and I love, love, love a love story. We used to rent films (ask your mum, children) from our local video shop. Our high street being right in the middle of aggressively artistic east London, the shop was painted black and inside were shelf upon shelf of very serious films. The men who ran it also wore clothes that ran the whole gamut from slate grey to bible black.…

Who’s behind the @? Australian-Japanese food writer/photographer Emiko has lived in Italy for over a decade and written four cookbooks on regional Italian food. Torta della Nonna (Hardie Grant £16.99), a collection of sweet recipes, is her latest. What’s great about her feed? Live vicariously through Emiko’s adventures in small-town Tuscany: buying cured meat, picking bitter oranges, foraging for truffles... Glorious plates of food (carpaccio, osso buco, desserts) with a side of Italian food history.…

Apple and salted caramel baklava Makes 36 pieces Hands-on time 45 min, plus cooling Oven time 55 min You’ll also need Food processor; 35cm x 22cm x 3cm deep oven dish, greased MAKE AHEAD You can prep the baklava up to 1 day ahead, then cover and keep chilled. Store the caramel in the fridge and gently heat to bring it back to a pouring consistency when ready to use. DON’T WASTE IT Any leftover caramel will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to a week. Drizzle it over ice cream, use to sandwich a layer cake or swirl it through brownie batter before baking. • 520g peeled, cored, coarsely grated granny smith apples (about 8 apples) • Juice 1 lemon • 2 tsp ground cinnamon • 600g walnut pieces, plus extra 75g,…

Elderflower cordial Makes Nearly 2 litres Hands-on time 10 min, plus overnight infusing Simmering time 10 min You’ll also need Jelly bag or piece of clean muslin; funnel; sterilised bottles (see deliciousmagazine.co.uk/how-to-sterilise-jars). KNOWHOW Citric acid helps stop the cordial fermenting – which could make the bottles explode – so it can last in the fridge for up to 3 months. It also adds a pleasantly sharp note. Find it in chemists or online – but do look for ‘food grade’ citric acid. If you’re going to drink the cordial within a month, you can leave out the citric acid. • 36 large elderflower heads • Finely grated zest and juice 4 unwaxed lemons (about 150ml juice), plus 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds • 750g unrefined golden caster sugar • 250g runny honey • 1…

When it opened, The Cinnamon Club set tongues wagging – not from chilli heat (the spicing is as refined as it gets) but because it unpicked entrenched ideas about what an Indian restaurant is. First, the location. Housed in the grade II-listed Old Westminster Library, the restaurant is a five-minute walk from the Houses of Parliament. The soaring ceilings, parquet floors and book-lined walls were a long way from the high street curry house. And then there’s the food. The Cinnamon Club, with restaurants such as Tamarind and Zaika, was part of a new wave of refined, regional pan-Indian cooking. LOOKING BACK “In the early days you could sum up the style of our cooking in three words: evolving, modern and Indian,” says Vivek. “It was about experimenting, not standing…

NADIYA HUSSAIN on slowing down “Lockdown has taught me that we can cook and enjoy food in a whole other way. It’s as much about cooking together, sitting together and taking that moment to be alive together.” Nadiya Bakes (Penguin Michael Joseph £22) is out now MELISSA HEMSLEY on food waste “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how good the simplest cooking can be. Some of the most satisfying meals I’ve made have been leftovers and fridge raids, cobbling things together.” Eat Green by Melissa Hemsley (Ebury £25) is out now JACK STEIN on learning a new skill “I’ve been getting to grips with pastry and pie making, thanks to The Pie Room, Calum Franklin’s long-awaited first book. I’m now proud of my beef wellington.” Jack Stein’s World on a…

There’s a wealth of research to show that omega-3 fats offer a number of health benefits. They help keep your heart healthy by reducing levels of cholesterol and other unhealthy fats in the blood and maintaining a healthy blood pressure. They also help to keep the eyes and brain healthy, and may reduce some of the signs associated with ageing. They’re particularly important for women who are pregnant or breast feeding because they play a vital role in a baby’s brain and eye development.…

IS FACTORY FOOD REALLY ALL BAD? The term ‘ultra-processed’ refers to foods made using ‘industrial techniques and processes’, and some studies have linked eating lots of ultra-processed foods with obesity and cancer. But the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) believes the term is confusing. While some ultra-processed foods such as sweets and crisps aren’t healthy options, others, like wholemeal bread and vegetable-based pasta sauces, are. “Most foods we eat are processed in some way, and they help us prepare meals within a limited time and budget,” says BNF science director Sara Stanner. She suggests considering how healthy a food is, but in the context of your diet as a whole. Buy them now Radishes! These bright crunchy root vegetables are wonderful to eat whole (spread with good butter), sliced into salads…

Slow cooker pulled pork Serves 8 Hands-on time 15 min Simmering time 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high You’ll also need Slow cooker (or see Know-how) KNOWHOW If you don’t have a slow cooker you can cook this in the oven using a casserole: set your oven to 130ºC fan/gas 2. Add all the ingredients (except the coriander/limes) to the casserole and add 275ml water. Top with a cartouche (compostable baking paper cut to slightly larger than the casserole, wet slightly, then scrunched up). Put the lid on and cook for 3 hours. Check the pork, stirring and adding a little more water if it looks too dry. It should be saucy and rich. With a slow cooker there’s no need to brown any ingredients. If you’re…

Chocolate halva • Brownies with an update Prepare your favourite brownie recipe from deliciousmagazine.co.uk, pour half the mixture into the specified tin, then scatter over 100-150g chopped halva. Top with the remaining mixture, smooth the surface, then bake as in the recipe. • Halva smoothie Put 360ml nut or oat milk, 200g frozen banana, (or frozen peach or mango flesh), 50-60g chopped halva, a large pinch of ground cinnamon and a small pinch of ground cardamom in a blender, then whizz until smooth. Divide between 2 chilled glasses. • Sesame fruit crumble topping Combine 250g plain flour and 200g chilled, cubed unsalted butter in a large bowl. Stir in 50g demerara sugar, 50g jumbo oats, 50g flaked almonds, 50g crumbled halva and 2 tbsp sesame seeds. Scatter evenly over your favourite crumble filling,…

3-2-1 flapjacks Makes 16 squares Hands-on time 10 min Oven time 25 min You’ll also need 20cm square baking tin, lined with compostable baking paper MAKE AHEAD The flapjacks will keep well in an airtight container for up to 1 week (if they’re not all eaten before then). • 200g butter, cut into chunks • 100g light brown soft sugar • 3 tbsp golden syrup • 300g rolled oats 1 Heat the oven to 160ºC fan/gas 4. In a large pan, melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup over a low-medium heat. Once melted, take the pan off the heat and stir in the oats until completely coated with the butter mixture. Spoon into the tin, then smooth the surface with the back of your spoon to level. 2 Bake for 25 minutes until…

SANDWICH TOPPERS I’ve been wheeling open sandwiches (tartines if you’re posh) for lunch and we all love the new Oatly plant-based spreads as a vehicle for our favourite toppings: beetroot (me); cucumber (daughter Rom); tomatoes (son Jack); and chives (husband Giles). Our plant-based plates are pretty as a picture. Oatly Creamy Oat Spreads in regular, cucumber & garlic or tomato & basil, £1.80 each, Tesco and selected Sainsbury’s CLASSY CORNERS My kids are fond of a corner yogurt, so I was thrilled to see these new pots from Yeo Valley Organic with a more virtuous ingredients list. The silky-smooth portion of almond nut butter is poised and ready to swirl into one of the three new varieties: natural, black cherry and, daughter Rom’s favourite, banana. It’s great for breakfast on…

If food waste were a country, it would have the third biggest carbon footprint in the world (after the US and China), according to Love Food Hate Waste. In fact, 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from producing food, only for large amounts to end up in the bin. TIP OF THE MONTH “Instead of throwing away those woody asparagus ends, use them to make a beautiful sauce,” says chef Simon Rogan. “Griddle whole spears or – even better – grill on the barbecue. Then cut off the ends, blend them in a juicer and mix with some crème fraîche and a little butter. Serve with the asparagus spears and fish. Grilling the ends first adds a deep, meaty flavour.” Simon is the chef-proprietor of L’Enclume, Rogan &…

The recipe Makes 8 Hands-on time 1 hour, plus rising, proving and cooling Oven time 20-25 min You’ll also need 1-2 baking trays lined with compostable baking paper “Tahini swirls are eaten throughout Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, often grabbed from a street vendor in the morning and enjoyed with a cup of strong black coffee. This version leans towards the Cypriot type, with its crisper feel from the tahini oozing out of the pastry.” MAKE AHEAD The buns will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but if you aren’t eating them immediately it’s best to reheat briefly. They also freeze well – put them in the oven from frozen and heat at 160°C fan/gas 4 for 10 minutes. • 300g strong white bread flour, plus extra to…

ROSÉ  Laurent Miquel Vendanges Nocturnes Classic 2020, Pays d’Oc, France 13% Beautifully blushing and finely balanced between juicy redcurrant and cherry twists, and a dry, delicate nature. Your sunny May Day rosé, sorted. £7.50, selected Co-op stores SPARKLING  Lidl Crémant de Loire Brut NV, France 12% A lively, dry French fizz with refreshing yellow apple and pear fruit flavours and a light dab of vanilla. Drinkable on its own as well as being a useful base for sparkling cocktails. £7.99, Lidl WHITE  Berry Bros & Rudd Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2019, Piedmont, Italy 12.5% Sophisticated, dainty and refined with light lemon and lime, a hint of almond and a mineral-fresh finish. Drink it outside on its own or pair with a spring vegetable risotto. £13.95, bbr.com RED  Errazuriz Cuvée…