Penguin

Books
 CONTENTS

Introduction

Breakfast and Brunch

For the Love of Lunch

Midweek Meals

Friends Over

Party Time

Pudding

Something Special

Thanks

Follow Penguin
 INTRODUCTION

As a first-generation Brit, born to Bangladeshi immigrant parents, I grew

up in a household where family was not just your mother, father and
siblings, but also the grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, first-, second-,
third-, fourth-cousins and even the neighbours. Everyone was family. If
you knew us – or knew our father – you were family. It was an open-door
policy in our home. If my parents were cooking and the smell wafted out
of the kitchen window, then you were welcome.
For me growing up, the food I ate was the only food I knew of. Forget
shopping lists, or menus, or special events – food for us was the
excitement my dad felt when he walked through the door with a freshly
bought tiger fish on his shoulder. It cost him a week’s wages but it
reminded him of home. In our family, Dad was the daydreamer.
For me growing up, food was about my mother sitting on the floor with her
sisters-in-law, parcelling samosas, heavy work for one day making light
work for the month, thirsty work equalling thrifty work. In our family, Mum
was the workforce.
For me growing up, food was about visiting my sick brother in hospital and
watching him sip a dense, murky cocoa drink to build up his strength while
the rest of us ate fish and chips at the end of his hospital bed. Him
watching us with sad eyes, desperate to eat real food, dreaming of mum’s
chicken and cabbage curry. Similarly, it was watching my poorly sister
come round from her anaesthetic and knowing she craved the sweet taste
of the fruit squash she wasn’t allowed, while we sat by her bedside
quenching our own thirst with flat, sugary Lucozade. The bitter with the
sweet. She waited weeks to enjoy a spoonful of our sweet, scented
vermicelli for breakfast. My brother and sister were the cravers of comfort
and home.
The rest of us were lucky. Lucky to be at home, lucky to be able to eat
whatever my nan cooked while my parents sat by hospital beds. My food
shaped my world, like everyone else’s does theirs, creating unique
memories for each of us individually. My food was full to the brim with
colour, bursting at the seams with laughter, waiting at the door in
anticipation, overflowing with happiness, seasoned with a measure of
sadness.
At home, we lived on rice and curries. Not just any old rice and curry, but
some of the most beautifully cooked, elegantly spiced curries I have ever
eaten. Always filled with Asian vegetables that had a carbon footprint as
hefty as the receipts my dad came home with. Rice and curry after school
every night. Rice and curry for lunch on the weekend and the same again
for dinner. We didn’t know any different so we never complained. We ate
in congregation on the floor and we ate with our hands, all five fingers
stained and scented with turmeric.
During term time, school lunches were a world away from the meals we
loved at home. We used knives and forks to eat, filling up on pizza, chips,
beans, burger, mashed potatoes and peas (not all at once, though
sometimes I wished it could be!), followed by apple crumble, cake, tarts,
biscuits and every colour of custard you can think of.
The food of my childhood was a collision of two worlds. The curry, the
pink custard, the switch between hands and cutlery. British food to me
was everything I ate, because I was British and therefore it followed that
whatever I ate must also be British. It was only when I discovered the
freedom of a driving licence and a clapped-out Renault Clio that I realized
the world was bigger than my parents’ kitchen and the confines of the
school canteen. I discovered food magazines, supermarket aisles,
takeaways (real-life food that we didn’t have to cook ourselves), markets,
restaurants, food stalls, Chinese supermarkets and online shopping!
Since then, I have asked myself the same question I ask even now. What
is British food? Is it a fixed set of recipes? Is it the curry I grew up on? Is
something British if you pour custard over it? Is it British if you eat it with
cutlery? Is it really just full English breakfasts, roast beef, Yorkshire
puddings, fish and chips? Type ‘what is British cuisine?’ into a search
engine and it will tell you simply that it is ‘a set of cooking traditions and
practices associated with the United Kingdom’. And yet how can
something so vast and varied be described in just a few vague sentences,
which barely scratch the surface of its depth and complexity?
British food today is a melting pot, a bubbling mixture of cuisines that have
been stirred together as people from different cultures all around the
world have settled here or passed through, introducing their own colours,
their own recipes, their little culinary gems, their secrets, their flavours
from far and wide. Over the years, Britain has welcomed Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian, Mexican, Caribbean, Chinese, Indian, Turkish, African,
Arabic, Thai, Korean, Australian and North American immigrants, to list but
a few, along with their ideas, influences and ingredients. This is the Britain
I recognize, and the one that I set out to discover through the recipes in
this book, a diverse land that I know best through the food that I have
eaten and the dishes that I have come to love, and which I cook over and
over again.
We never travelled much in the UK as children, but since having my own
kids I have discovered nooks and crannies that I never knew existed, and
so my children’s ‘Britain’ is quite different to the one I grew up believing in.
Writing this book has allowed me to travel even further, seeking out the
hidden gems of the country I call my home, meeting exciting people who
grow and farm our food, as well as innovators who have exceeded
expectations, pushed boundaries and overcome adversity with their
stories of imagination and hard work. These forward-thinking people are
the true face of British food today, and you’ll get to know some of them in
my TV series, Nadiya’s British Food Adventure . Meanwhile, the recipes
I’ve collected together in this book will take you on a unique journey
through the UK, celebrating the many culinary influences that have shaped
us, and letting you taste for yourself the food and flavours that represent
the real and diverse Britain that I know and love.
This book takes you through each mealtime of the day, with recipes for
hearty breakfasts and brunches, speedy lunches and easy midweek
meals, as well as dishes you’ll love to cook when having friends over, fun
ideas for parties, comforting everyday puddings and extra-special
desserts. Recipes such as Masala Eggy Bread, Ploughman’s Cheese &
Pickle Tart, Chilli Lasagne, Minted Lamb & Apple Pasties, Fish Pie with
Cinnamon Sweet Potato, Easy Chicken Tikka Masala, Fennel Welsh
Cakes, Malt Tiffin, Mango & Passionfruit Jam Roly-Poly, and Eton Mess
Cheesecake are just a small taster of the 120 recipes that are proudly
nestled in this book and which together reflect my food journey.
My Britain is many things. It’s thanks to a father – the daydreamer – who
worked tirelessly to bring a bit of Bangladesh to his growing expat family.
It’s down to a mother – the workforce – whose greatest skill, still, is
feeding us into oblivion, no matter how hard she has to work to do it. It
was shaped by a brother and sister who longed to be at home, craving
comfort in a bowl of solid food, because mother’s food, whatever it was,
meant home. It is two culinary worlds that collided spectacularly to create
a grey area that is more colourful than a rainbow, with a pot of sprinkles
at the end of it!
This is the Britain that I recognize and the Britain that I know so many
other people will relate to. A Britain we should all be proud of, for the
diversity that it offers through the food it has welcomed and the worlds it
has joined together. This is not just my Britain, this is OUR Britain. Let’s
feast our eyes and appetites on the amazing food it has to offer.
 Breakfast and Brunch
I often wonder who first came up with certain words to label the eating
path of a day, and why each name was invented. All I can say is, thank
you! I’m grateful for the breaks in our day that are dictated by the time on
the clock and the rumble of our bellies. Especially the first meal of the
morning. As a child, I loved breakfast – for me, it was all about the latest
cereal advert on the telly, followed by a continual badgering of my dad as
we walked the supermarket aisles. Not much has changed, and no matter
how much I try to resist, I can still be taken in by the gimmicks of an all-
singing, all-dancing, cereal-eating tiger. But breakfasts themselves have
changed. They have kind of merged into elevenses, stuck their toes into
brunch, walked into lunch and taken a nosedive into dinner! Some days I
don’t know where breakfast starts or where it ends; we can eat it pretty
much all day without even realizing it. I like to think that’s why we give it so
many names. This chapter is a collection of my earlier-in-the-day recipes
that regularly satisfy the bellies of my brood and prepare them for the day
ahead.
 CAYENNE EGGS BENEDICT
This is one of my favourite café breakfasts, for the kind of day when
I’ve rushed out with just hot tea inside me and the intention to
shamelessly shop and then ease the guilt by ordering something
delicious, warm and filling. But it’s also a recipe that I love to cook
at home, when I have someone special over for breakfast or just
want to prove to myself that I can do it as well as any café. My
method simplifies the two slightly more time-consuming (some may
say tricky!) elements – the poached egg and the hollandaise –
helping you save time and face for when you have someone to
impress (even if it’s just yourself!).

Serves 2 1. Bring a litre of water to the boil in a small pan and

leave on a medium heat.
PREP 15 MINUTES
COOK 20 MINUTES 2. Meanwhile, get a cup that is big enough to house
an entire egg and a piece of cling film about 23cm
spray oil
square (or big enough to fit the inside of the cup).
2 medium eggs Push the cling film inside the cup.
1 English muffin ,
sliced in half horizontally 3. Spray the inside generously with oil – this will stop
butter , for spreading the egg sticking to the cling film. Crack the egg into
1 tablespoon olive oil
the cling film-covered cup. Seal it in by tying up the
top and repeat with the second egg.
6 rashers (I use halal
smoked turkey rashers 4. At this point, I become mesmerized by the look of
, but you can use bacon)
a raw egg encased in cling film! Once you’ve
6 tablespoons full-fat finished admiring this sight, place the egg parcels in
mayonnaise
the pan of hot water for 5 minutes.
1 tablespoon
whole/semi-skimmed 5. Have a bowl of cold water ready. When the eggs
milk have been in the pan for 5 minutes, lift them out and
½ teaspoon cayenne immerse in the cold water.
pepper (increase to 1
teaspoon if you like it 6. Toast the muffin halves lightly until crisp around
hotter) the edges. Butter them and place on your serving
1 teaspoon white plates.
vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh 7. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium pan and
chives , chopped
put on a medium heat. Add the rashers and cook
them for 5 minutes, turning when required. They
should be lightly crisp.
8. Put 3 rashers on each buttered muffin half.
9. Get a bowl of hot water ready. Take the eggs out
of the cold water, cut off the top of the cling film and
unwrap. Dunk the eggs in the hot water for 30
seconds to rewarm them. Lift out with a slotted
spoon, drain on kitchen paper, then place carefully
on top of the rashers.
10. Meanwhile, put the mayonnaise, milk, cayenne
pepper and vinegar into a small pan. Stir on a low
heat until the sauce is warm, check the seasoning,
then spoon over the poached eggs. Sprinkle with
chopped chives and a little more cayenne, if you like.
CAYENNE EGGS BENEDICT
 CARDAMOM BANANA DROP SCONES
My children often begin the mornings with a sweet breakfast
revolution, chanting, ‘Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes,’ until I drag
myself out of bed. Believe me, this is no fun at 6 a.m. on a Sunday,
but on the weekends the kids do tend to get their way and I often
make these easy banana drop scones. (On a rushed weekday, it’s
rice puffs with honey. So I can see why we have revolution two days
out of seven!) These are like little baby pancakes with a hidden gem
inside, and are so simple to make that it’s win-win for everyone. As
an extra treat I make this fragrant cardamom caramel to go with
them.

Serves 4 (makes 12) 1. First make the caramel. If your sugar is lumpy,
rub it between your fingers to break up any big bits.
PREP 20 MINUTES
Put the sugar and butter into a small pan and place
COOK 20 MINUTES
on a medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring
For the cardamom
all the time. As soon as the sugar has melted, take
caramel the pan off the heat.
125g soft brown sugar 2. Add the cream and cardamom and stir until it is all
50g unsalted butter well combined. Set the caramel aside while you
125ml double cream make the drop scones.
1½ teaspoons ground 3. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and give
green cardamom (see
tip ) it all a quick mix. Make a well in the centre and add
the egg. Again, mix that in.
For the drop scones
4. Stir in half the milk and you should get a thick
140g self-raising flour paste. Add the rest of the milk and the mixture will
a pinch of salt slacken slightly, though it should still be thick.
1 tablespoon caster Perfect for dropping scones!
sugar
1 large egg
5. Put half the butter into a frying pan and place on a
medium heat. Once it has melted, place the banana
150ml whole milk
slices in the pan, well spaced out. Work in batches –
1 large ripe banana , cut
into 12 slices (about
I can fit about 6 slices in a 28cm pan.
1cm thick)
50g unsalted butter , 6. Place a tablespoon of the drop scone mixture on
for frying
top of each banana slice and leave to cook slowly
on a medium to low heat for 4 minutes. The top
layer should be covered in bubbles.
7. When the tops look less liquid and more set, turn
them over with a spatula and cook for a further 3
minutes.
8. Once the drop scones are cooked, keep them
warm on a plate, covered with foil, while you cook
the second batch.
9. Gently reheat the caramel and serve generously
alongside the warm drop scones.

Tip: If you can’t find ground cardamom, crush 8

cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar or a spice
grinder, discard the green pods, then grind the
seeds to a fine powder.
CARDAMOM BANANA DROP SCONES
 BROWN MUSTARD POTATO RÖSTI
Although I often succumb to the quick fried variety when I am on
the road, or when I’m just too tired to stop and make breakfast,
there’s nothing quite like making rösti from scratch. Even so,
nobody wants to start their day having to peel, chop and boil
potatoes, especially not caffeine-free at 8 a.m.! So for this recipe,
my spuds keep their skins firmly on and all they need is grating,
before being flavoured with delicious brown mustard seeds and
served with a crisp frilly egg. You simply need a box grater and the
belief that potatoes do not have to mean faff first thing in the
morning.

Serves 2 1. Coarsely grate the potatoes on your grater’s

largest setting.
PREP 15 MINUTES
COOK 10 MINUTES 2. By hand, take a small amount of the grated
potato and squeeze all the excess moisture out of it.
1–2 large potatoes
(approx. 300g), washed
Getting rid of as much moisture as you can now will
well and skins kept on help the rösti crisp up later. Repeat with the rest of
salt and black pepper , the grated potato.
for seasoning
3. Place the grated potato in a bowl, season with a
1 teaspoon brown large pinch of salt and the mustard seeds, and mix.
mustard seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil 4. Place a medium frying pan on a medium heat (my
2 large eggs pan is 28cm) and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
1 tablespoon roughly 5. When the oil is hot, divide the potato mixture into
torn fresh coriander two batches. Place the two mounds in the frying
brown sauce , to serve pan. Using the back of a spatula, flatten the mounds
(optional)
down and allow the potato to cook gently on a
medium heat. This will take 5 minutes on one side.
6. Gently turn your rösti over and cook for another 3
minutes. They will be crisp on the outside. Transfer
them carefully on to your serving plates – they may
still be slightly fragile.
7. Using the same frying pan, wipe off any crumbs
with kitchen paper, then add the remaining 2
tablespoons of oil and heat on a high heat until the
pan is smoking.
8. Crack an egg directly into the pan – it should
instantly start to frill around the edges. Once the egg
has frilled, turn the heat down and allow the rest of
the white to cook, making sure the yolk stays runny.
This should take only a few minutes. Season the egg
lightly with a pinch of salt. Repeat with the other egg
(you can cook them both at once if your pan is large
enough).
9. Place each frilly egg on top of a rösti, sprinkle
with coriander leaves and black pepper, and serve
while still warm. My kids love these with copious
amounts of brown sauce, but I like the runny egg
yolk to do the saucing for me.
BROWN MUSTARD POTATO RÖSTI
 TURMERIC TOMATOES ON AVOCADO
TOAST
There’s a lot in the news right now about the health benefits of
turmeric, and this is a great way to add a bit of bright-yellow spice
to the start of your day. (Better than the glass of turmeric and milk
concoction that my sister is convinced tastes good! I would rather
have mine with my tomatoes in the morning, as I prefer to eat my
food slowly rather than the down-in-one method.) The sweetness of
the tomatoes works really well with the smoky turmeric when
cooked lightly over a low heat.

Serves 4 1. Toast the sourdough (or bread of your choice)

until it’s just crisp, and set aside on a serving plate.
PREP 15 MINUTES
COOK 15 MINUTES 2. Cut the avocados in half, remove the stones and
scoop out the flesh. Add a squeeze of lemon juice,
4 slices of sourdough
(or slices of bread of
then mash, using the back of a fork. The lemon juice
your choice: white, will stop the avocado going brown while you cook
brown, or the kind with the tomatoes.
no crusts for fussy non-
crust eaters, etc.) 3. Place a frying pan on a medium heat and add the
2 medium ripe oil. Once the oil is just hot, add the crushed garlic
avocados (approx. and stir for a few seconds, keeping an eye on it to
400g) make sure it doesn’t burn.
a squeeze of lemon
juice 4. Add the quartered tomatoes and salt, and cook
4 tablespoons olive oil
for 2 minutes.
2 cloves of garlic , finely 5. Now add the turmeric and the water. Cook on a
chopped medium heat for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have
20 ripe cherry softened and broken down slightly. Be sure to keep
tomatoes (approx. an eye on them, making sure they don’t burn. If they
400g), quartered
do start to stick, just add another tablespoon of
a good pinch of salt
water.
½ teaspoon ground
turmeric 6. Spread each slice of toasted sourdough with
2 tablespoons water equal amounts of the mashed avocado and top with
the hot cooked tomatoes.
 SMOKED PAPRIKA CORNED BEEF &
BAKED BEAN WRAP
Although I had heard of corned beef while I was growing up, I never
really came across it until about 10 years ago. Out of curiosity, I
bought a tin. It then sat in my cupboard for 5 years before I even
considered doing anything with it. It’s certainly an acquired taste. I
knew my old neighbour Norman lived on the stuff, but when I told
him I was about to spice it up he was unimpressed and said it
should only ever be eaten fried in slices and served with mashed
potatoes and a fried egg. Of course, I did what I do best and ignored
every word he said, and changed it anyway. This is my simple way
of spicing up corned beef for a quick and easy meal.

Serves 4 1. Place a medium frying pan on a medium heat and

add the oil. Once it has just warmed up, add the
PREP 15 MINUTES
garlic, stir for a few seconds, then add the chopped
COOK 15 MINUTES
onion. Season to taste and cook for about 5
1 tablespoon olive oil minutes, until the onion has softened.
1 clove of garlic , finely 2. Stir in the smoked paprika and cook for 2
sliced
minutes. If the mixture begins to stick, just add a
1 red onion (approx.
150g), chopped
tablespoon of water and let it loosen.
salt , for seasoning 3. Stir in the corned beef – it will start to break up a
2 teaspoons smoked little.
paprika
4. Add the baked beans and cook gently for 5
1 x 340g tin of corned
minutes, making sure you keep an eye on it. The
beef , chopped into
chunks mixture is quite thick, so it will have a tendency to
1 x 410g tin of baked stick.
beans
5. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped
1 small bag of fresh coriander.
coriander (30g, approx.
3 tablespoons), finely 6. Put the tortilla wraps into the microwave for 30
chopped seconds, to warm them up and make them a little
4 large tortilla wraps more flexible.
1 lime , cut into 4 7. Place a quarter of the corned beef mixture in the
wedges
centre of a warmed tortilla wrap. Fold over the two
Greek yoghurt , to edges. Take the closest part of the wrap to you and
serve
fold over. Tuck the wrap in and roll. Cut in half at an
angle.
8. Serve each wrap with a wedge of lime and a
spoonful of Greek yoghurt.
 GARLIC & PARSLEY EGG CUPS
There’s a growing trend online for recipes that involve edible
containers, so you can eat whatever’s on the inside and enjoy the
outside too. I’m talking cookie cups filled with milk, fondue served
in its own edible bread bowl, and so much more. Not only does the
edible exterior help things feel that bit more fun, it also makes you
look so much more accomplished in the kitchen! And let’s not forget
– if the casing is edible, think of all the washing-up you don’t have
to do. So I’ve joined the trend, and used delicious garlic bread as a
carrier for some beautifully cooked eggs.

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

PREP 15 MINUTES 2. Cut all 4 crusts off the bread (don’t be alarmed –
COOK 20–35 don’t throw them away, put them on a baking tray
MINUTES ready to dry out in the oven, then blitz and make into
12 slices of white bread
breadcrumbs).
80g garlic butter 3. Using a rolling pin, roll each slice of bread until it
12 small–medium eggs is completely flat. This makes it much easier to work
12 pinches of salt with later and gives you a crispier cup.
12 sprigs of fresh curly 4. Melt the garlic butter (if you don’t have any at
parsley home, just take unsalted butter and add a minced
clove of garlic to it).
5. Brush the inside of a 12-hole muffin tray with
some of the melted garlic butter.
6. Line the inside of each hole with a slice of
flattened bread, making sure to push the bread right
into the base and edges. Don’t worry about being
exact, as they are not meant to look identical.
7. Brush the inside of the bread with the remainder
of the melted garlic butter.
8. Drop an egg into each cavity, then season them
all with a pinch of salt and top with a parsley sprig.
9. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 18–20
minutes if you like a runny yolk. If, however, you
prefer a firm yolk, leave to bake in the oven for 35
minutes.

Tip: Be sure to get small to medium eggs or there

could be a serious case of egg spillage.
GARLIC & PARSLEY EGG CUPS
 CINNAMON & PINEAPPLE FRENCH
TOAST
I’m all for dishing out credit where credit is due. I once heard a
conversation between my husband and his sister about how, as
children, they used to eat French toast with pineapple. My initial
reaction was ‘oooooh’ – it sounded sophisticated and unusual …
until it turned out to be a ring of tinned pineapple in the centre, not
fresh as I’d imagined. But when I took my mother-in-law’s humble
tinned pineapple idea and tried it for myself, I discovered that
sometimes things are best left simple. So here’s her recipe, which
I’ve not changed too much, except for the addition of cinnamon just
to lift it.

Serves 2 1. Drain the tinned pineapple in a colander, then take

small handfuls of it and make sure you squeeze out
PREP 15 MINUTES
all the excess moisture. Nothing worse than moisture
COOK 10 MINUTES
and bread – bad combination! Put the pineapple into
1 x 435g tin of crushed a bowl with the sugar and cinnamon, stir and set
pineapple (278g aside.
drained weight)
2 tablespoons soft 2. Using a large plate with sides, crack in the eggs
brown sugar and add the milk and sugar. Whisk lightly with a fork.
½ teaspoon ground 3. Take the 4 slices of bread and sandwich them
cinnamon
together in pairs with half the pineapple mixture.
2 medium eggs
100ml whole milk 4. Put a frying pan on a medium heat, add half the
butter and leave it to melt.
1 tablespoon caster
sugar 5. Once the butter has melted, dip the first
4 slices of white bread pineapple sandwich into the egg mixture, turning it
30g unsalted butter over so it is coated on both sides. Place in the pan
2 tablespoons Greek with the melted butter. (Alternatively, if you have a
yoghurt pan big enough to cook both sandwiches at the
a drizzle of honey same time, add all the butter to the pan at once and
cook them together.)
6. Cook on a medium heat for 2 minutes, until the
bread is a golden colour and the eggy bits have
cooked through.
7. Now turn over gently, using a spatula and a fork
(for extra insurance), and cook on the other side for
2 minutes. Place on a piece of kitchen paper to drain
off any excess butter.
8. Now do the same with the other pineapple
sandwich. Add the remaining butter, dip both sides,
fry both sides and drain.
9. Cut the sandwiches in half, and serve with a
tablespoon of yoghurt drizzled with a little honey.
 BLACK PEPPER & SMOKED SALMON
OMELETTE
Whether it’s a plain and simple dinner for one, or something for
feeding a crowd, an omelette is quick, versatile and can be flavoured
and changed around in so many ways. The mixture of smoked
salmon and black pepper in this one makes a winning combination.
So often, black pepper is used as seasoning and you can’t really
taste the pepper itself, but if you treat it like a spice, rather than a
seasoning, that’s when it really comes into its own.

Serves 2 1. Crack the eggs into a bowl and season with the
salt and pepper.
PREP 15 MINUTES
COOK 10 MINUTES 2. Place a medium frying pan (about 20cm,
preferably non-stick) on a high heat and add half the
6 medium eggs
butter. Once the butter has melted, pour in half the
½ teaspoon salt egg mixture.
2 teaspoons freshly
ground black pepper 3. Gently stir the egg mixture three or four times,
50g unsalted butter scraping away at the edges. Lower the heat to
100g smoked salmon ,
medium.
sliced 4. Add the slices of salmon all over the top, then the
2 tablespoons chopped chives. Lower the heat completely, cover and cook
fresh chives
for 3 minutes.
buttered wholemeal
bread , to serve 5. Remove the omelette and keep warm on a plate,
(optional) covered with foil. Put the pan back on the hob, turn
the heat up to medium, add the remaining butter and
cook the second omelette in the same way as
before.
6. I like to eat this just as is, but if you are feeling
hungrier it also tastes pretty good sandwiched
between slices of buttered wholemeal bread.
BLACK PEPPER & SMOKED SALMON OMELETTE
 CHERRY, ALMOND & NUTMEG TARTS
Pop Tarts: we’ve surely all heard of them, and I imagine most people
have probably tried one too. Or do I only speak for myself when I
say that Pop Tart curiosity once got the better of me and as a
teenager I felt I just had to taste this American breakfast
phenomenon? It was quite something watching it pop out of the
toaster like the biscuit equivalent of a 5-year-old on sugar. But it
became an entirely different tale when my eagerness led to a very
burnt mouth. This recipe is my more grown-up interpretation. The
tarts are sweet, easy to make and have a hint of spice. But like my
encounter with their 1999 counterpart, these too can scald an
unsuspecting mouth if served hot. So please eat with caution.

Serves 8 1. Dust the surface of the worktop with plenty of

icing sugar and roll out the pastry to a 30 x 35cm
PREP 30 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING rectangle. Place it on a piece of baking paper and
COOK 20 MINUTES
then on a tray. (This will help you move the pastry in
and out of the fridge.)
For the tarts 2. Cut right down the middle of the pastry
icing sugar (approx. lengthways, giving you two long equal rectangles.
20g), for dusting
Now make three cuts across widthways to give you
500g shortcrust pastry eight equal rectangles. Place in the fridge.
150g cherry jam
3. Put the jam in a bowl, add the ground nutmeg and
½ teaspoon ground
nutmeg mix.
1 medium egg , beaten 4. Have a baking tray lined with baking paper ready.
lightly To each rectangle of pastry, add 1 teaspoon of jam
on one side, making sure to avoid the edges. (Don’t
For the almond icing
be tempted to add extra jam – I once learned this
100g icing sugar , sifted
the hard way!)
1½ tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon almond
5. Brush the edges with the eggwash and fold over
extract the other half of the pastry. With the tip of a dinner
20g toasted flaked knife, press down to seal the edges. This is crucial
almonds unless you enjoy flowing molten lava jam.
6. Do the same with the remaining seven pastries.
Brush the tops with the eggwash and place in the
fridge for 20 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
8. Take the pastries out of the fridge and bake on
the middle shelf of the oven for 20–25 minutes.
Place on a wire rack to cool.
9. To make the icing, put the icing sugar, water and
almond extract into a bowl and mix to a smooth
paste. Cover the tops of the pastries with icing and
sprinkle with crushed toasted almonds.

Tip: If you want to eat these warm, I don’t

recommend using the toaster, but you can quickly
zap them in the microwave.
CHERRY, ALMOND & NUTMEG TARTS
 MASALA EGGY BREAD
Hands up who loves eggy bread? Well, everyone in my house loves
it in every form and we are always looking for new ways of eating
the stuff. Which is why I couldn’t resist including two recipes for it,
one savoury and one sweet (see also Cinnamon & Pineapple French
Toast ). It really is a good base to take on all sorts of flavours, and
this eggy bread recipe uses up some of the ingredients that I always
have at home. Rather than putting the extra ingredients into the egg
mixture at the start, here they are added carefully afterwards, to
keep all the flavour on top of the toast. You will need a spatula and
a steady hand.

Serves 4 1. Put the chopped onion, cumin seeds, chilli flakes,

coriander and salt into a bowl. Using your hands,
PREP 15 MINUTES
squeeze all the ingredients to macerate and soften
COOK 10 MINUTES
them. Set aside.
1 red onion (approx.
150g), chopped
2. Crack the eggs on to a rimmed plate or shallow
dish and season. Whisk lightly, using a fork.
1 teaspoon whole
cumin seeds 3. Take a slice of bread and dip it in the egg mixture.
½ teaspoon chilli flakes Do the same with the other pieces of bread and set
1 tablespoon chopped aside on another plate.
fresh coriander
4. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat, then
½ teaspoon salt
add half the butter and allow it to melt gently.
4 medium eggs
4 slices of bread 5. Add 2 slices of soaked bread to the pan and top
50g butter
each with a quarter of the onion mix. Cook for 2
minutes.
6. Using a wide spatula, gently and quickly flip the
bread slices over. The onion side, facing down,
should now cook for a further 2 minutes. Put the
slices on a plate and cover with foil to keep them
warm.
7. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, add the rest
of the butter and fry the other 2 slices of bread the
same way.
MASALA EGGY BREAD
 TOASTED TEACAKES WITH CINNAMON
DATE BUTTER
When my youngest child was born I suddenly had three kids under
the age of four! While my older two went to nursery for the
afternoon, I would sometimes tear myself away from the housework,
and treat myself to fruit toast and an Earl Grey tea. I love the tart,
sticky fruit in a warm toasted teacake. But while my daughter could
easily eat her way through six tiny boxes of raisins in a walk to the
park, if they were baked into something she simply would not touch
them, picking them out and flinging them aside. So I created this
recipe for her, and for anyone who doesn’t like raisins. The teacakes
are served with a delicious homemade butter that’s sweetened with
sticky dates. There’s nothing better.

Makes 6 teacakes and 1. For the teacakes, place the milk and butter in a
300g of date butter jug or small bowl and microwave until the butter has
PREP 1 HOUR 10 melted – or you can do this in a small pan. Don’t boil
MINUTES, PLUS the milk, just warm it enough for the butter to melt.
PROVING Then whisk in the egg and set aside.
COOK 20 MINUTES
2. Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer, then
For the teacakes add the salt to one side of the bowl, yeast on the
150ml whole milk
other side, and the cinnamon, orange zest and
caster sugar. Give it all a mix and make a well in the
50g unsalted butter ,
room temperature centre. Pour in the milk mixture and give it all a good
1 medium egg
stir to just combine.
375g strong bread flour 3. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and knead on
½ teaspoon salt medium speed for 5 minutes, until the dough is
7g fast-action yeast smooth and elastic. If you are doing it by hand,
1 teaspoon ground
knead the dough on a lightly oiled surface for 10
cinnamon minutes.
zest of 1 orange 4. Put the dough back into the bowl, then cover with
50g golden caster cling film and leave in a warm place for at least an
sugar hour, until the dough has doubled in size. This will
2 teaspoons vegetable depend on how warm the room is, so don’t fret if it
oil , for greasing
takes longer than an hour.
For the cinnamon and 5. Grease two baking trays lightly with a little oil.
date butter
160g dried dates
6. Once proved, take the dough and knock out the
air by pushing it down with your knuckles. Roll it out
150ml boiling water
into a sausage shape and cut it into six equal pieces.
600ml double cream
Roll each one into a ball, then, using a spoon, flatten
½ teaspoon rock salt them so they are about 1cm thick and place on the
½ teaspoon ground baking trays. Take two pieces of cling film and lightly
cinnamon
oil them. Cover the dough with the cling film, oil side
down and leave to prove again for 1 hour in a warm
place.
7. Meanwhile, start the cinnamon and date butter.
Put the dates into a bowl, pour over the hot water
and set aside for 20 minutes.
8. Put the cream into the bowl of a stand mixer and
begin whisking. Now this is the fun bit. No need to
worry about over-whipping, because this is exactly
what you want to do. From start to finish, the
process will take 5 minutes with the mixer on high.
As soon as the cream has gone from soft peaks, to
stiff peaks, to over-whipped, the cream will start to
gather and look almost crumbly. You will know it is
ready when you can see water in the base of the
bowl. Now you have butter.
9. Place a sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture in.
Leave the water to drip through the sieve. You can
help the process along by pressing the butter
against the sieve using the back of a spoon.
10. Once the teacake dough has proved, preheat
the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Take off the
cling film and bake the teacakes for 15–20 minutes.
Then take them out of the oven and leave to cool on
a wire rack.
11. Transfer the soft drained butter into a bowl.
12. Drain the dates and squeeze out the water. Blitz
the dates roughly and add to the butter with the salt
and cinnamon. Mix well, then cover and chill in the
fridge until needed.
13. To serve, slice the teacakes in half, toast them
and spread with the date butter.
TOASTED TEACAKES WITH CINNAMON DATE BUTTER
 PEANUT GRANOLA
We love granola in our house, usually served on honey yoghurt with
bananas sliced on top, the ripest ones we can find. I know granola is
easy enough to buy, but it’s also just as easy to make, rather like
making flapjacks but without the cooling and slicing bit. My family
all love peanuts too, so this is our favourite granola, mixed with all
sorts of other delights including linseeds and a cheeky addition of
dark chocolate chips.

Makes 820g 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

PREP 20 MINUTES 2. Place the butter, honey, and muscovado sugar in
COOK 45 MINUTES a small pan and warm on a medium heat till the
butter has dissolved and the sugar has melted. Take
100g unsalted butter
off the heat.
60g runny honey
100g dark brown
3. Put the oats, linseeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts
muscovado sugar and figs into a large bowl and mix to combine. Add
200g porridge oats the melted butter mixture and stir again so that all
100g golden linseeds
the nuts and oats are coated. Place on a large
baking tray and spread out.
50g sunflower seeds
50g salted peanuts 4. Bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes, making sure
100g dried figs , roughly to give the mixture a stir every 15 minutes. If you
chopped find it getting dark sooner, take the mixture out.
100g dark chocolate 5. Leave to cool on the tray. Once the mixture is
chips (or milk, white,
butterscotch or even completely cool, mix in the chips.
peanut butter chips, if
6. Transfer to an airtight container, and eat with
you can get them)
yoghurt and sliced bananas, like we do, or however
you prefer.
PEANUT GRANOLA
 For the Love of Lunch
I’m not always sure how I feel about lunch. It’s that moment right in the
middle of the day when we’re often too busy to stop what we’re doing,
and then the instant it’s over we’re already far too busy thinking about
what we fancy for dinner. It’s like the middle child of the food world,
doesn’t quite know where it belongs. But what I do know is that it’s a vital
part of the day and actually very important. For all those middle children
out there (don’t worry, I’m one too), it’s time we realized you are worth
stopping for, you are worth some embellishment, and you are there to
help us remember why it’s good to pause and take a breath. Here is a
collection of simple lunch recipes that are easy, satisfying and – most of
all – worth stopping for.
SESAME CHICKEN WITH QUICK KIMCHI
This recipe combines two of my favourite things: the first is
delicious sesame chicken (like they sell at my local Chinese
takeaway) and the second is kimchi, which is definitely the ‘in’ thing
right now. People have eaten kimchi for centuries, but it’s finally
made it on to the menu at my local lunch stop-off and at last it’s
getting the recognition it deserves. I love its bold flavour, which
pairs well with the subtlety of the chicken. Even better, this is my
quick version of kimchi, with no fermenting required!

Serves 4 1. Put all the sesame seeds on a plate and mix

together.
PREP 25 MINUTES
COOK 12 MINUTES 2. Crack the egg on to another rimmed plate and
beat lightly.
For the sesame
chicken 3. Season the chicken breasts lightly and dip in the
100g sesame seeds
egg. Then dip into the sesame seeds. Set the
chicken aside on a separate plate.
25g black sesame
seeds 4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the
1 large egg , beaten butterflied chicken on a medium to low heat for 5
4 chicken breasts , minutes on either side. If your pan isn’t large enough
butterflied (see here ) to fit all four pieces at once, just add half the oil at a
salt , for seasoning time and fry them in two batches. Bear in mind that
5 tablespoons olive oil the chicken is coated in seeds that are prone to
burning quickly, so be careful and keep a close eye
For the kimchi salad on them.
½ teaspoon salt
5. In the meantime, prepare the salad by putting the
2 spring onions , thinly
sliced
salt, spring onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, fish
sauce and chilli into a bowl. Use your hands to
1 teaspoon soft brown
sugar macerate the mixture.
2 cloves of garlic , 6. Now add the cabbage and, again using your
grated hands, squeeze that cabbage together with
20g fresh ginger , everything else in the bowl. This will give it the
peeled and grated
fermented look of kimchi without the actual
1 tablespoon fish sauce fermentation process.
1 large chilli , thinly
sliced (seeds removed if 7. Drain the chicken on kitchen paper, then cut into
you prefer less heat) thin slices. Serve piles of the kimchi salad topped
150g each of red with slices of sesame chicken.
cabbage and white
cabbage (about ¼ of a
head for each), thinly
sliced, on a mandolin if
you have one
SESAME CHICKEN WITH QUICK KIMCHI
PLOUGHMAN’S CHEESE & PICKLE TART
People say not to go food shopping when hungry, but I disagree,
and a ploughman’s sandwich is my favourite thing to eat while I do
the weekly shop. That combination of strong cheese and tart chunky
pickle is my inspiration for this recipe. Cut through the cheesy
filling and you’ll find a hidden layer of pickle waiting to tantalize
your taste buds, with a hint of heat from the pastry.

Serves 8 1. Take the block of shortcrust pastry, flatten it out

slightly and sprinkle all over with the paprika. Fold
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING the edges in over the top, then knead the pastry until
COOK 1 HOUR 10
all the paprika is incorporated. If the pastry starts to
MINUTES stick to the worktop, dust with flour.
2. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the
350g shortcrust pastry
fridge for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven
1 teaspoon paprika
to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and put a baking tray in to
plain flour , for dusting heat up.
4 medium eggs
3. Dust the work surface with flour and roll out the
150ml whole milk
pastry to the thickness of a pound coin and large
200g sandwich pickle
(small chunks)
enough to cover the base and sides of a 23cm
diameter, 3–4cm deep, loose-bottomed flan tin.
250g mature Cheddar
cheese , grated 4. Line the inside of the tin with the rolled-out pastry.
Press it into the edges, right into the grooves,
leaving some overhang. Pierce the base all over with
a fork. This stops it puffing up while baking.
5. Cover the base and sides with a large piece of
baking paper and fill with baking beans to weigh the
pastry down. Take the hot baking tray out of the
oven and place the prepared tart tin on it.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, then take out of the oven,
remove the paper and baking beans, and bake for
another 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, put your eggs into a jug and lightly
whisk. Add the milk and stir.
8. Once the tart shell is out of the oven, spread the
pickle all over the base and cover evenly with the
grated cheese.
9. Pour in the milky egg mixture and place the whole
tray back in the oven, on the middle shelf, for 25–30
minutes, until the filling is set and golden with just a
very slight wobble in the middle.
10. Once the tart is cool enough to handle, slice off
the pastry overhang using a sharp serrated knife.
Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then transfer
to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tip: This tart is best served lukewarm or cold and is

great for picnics, lunchboxes or food on the go. It
can also be frozen for up to a month – defrost it in
the fridge before eating.
PLOUGHMAN’S CHEESE & PICKLE TART
 CARAWAY SALMON WITH RED PEPPER
& QUINOA SALAD
I’m not a massive fan of cold salads. I eat them because somewhere
in my subconscious mind doing so makes me feel better about
myself. But if I can help it, I prefer a salad that has some sort of
warm element to it. I like warmth in all its forms, and will whack the
central heating on 30 minutes before a bath, just on the off-chance
that I might feel cold when I get out. My father has even threatened
to surgically implant a halogen heater under my skin to stop me
complaining about the cold. That’s why I like this salad: it’s a
vibrant and fragrant combination of quinoa and caraway, topped
with a warm piece of crispy-skinned salmon.

Serves 4 1. Put the quinoa into a small pan and add the
water. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then turn
PREP 20 MINUTES
down to medium and simmer until all the water has
COOK 30 MINUTES
evaporated – this should take about 20 minutes.
160g quinoa
Once the water has gone, leave on the lowest heat
for a couple of minutes to dry the quinoa, stirring
480ml water
frequently to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom
7 tablespoons olive oil
of the pan. If your packet of quinoa comes with
2 teaspoons caraway different instructions, you can follow those instead.
seeds
1 small white onion 2. Meanwhile, put a frying pan on a medium heat
(approx. 150g), thinly and add 4 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is warm,
sliced add the caraway seeds, and once you hear the
1 large red pepper seeds popping add the onion and red pepper.
(approx. 150g), thinly
sliced
Season immediately with the salt and cook for 10
minutes, until it has all softened.
½ teaspoon salt , plus
more for seasoning 3. Add the zest and juice of the lemon, then add the
zest and juice of ½ a quinoa and parsley and mix it all through.
lemon
4. Divide the quinoa mixture between four plates and
a small handful of fresh
curly parsley , chopped put some watercress on top.
 4 small handfuls of 5. Clean the frying pan with kitchen paper. Place on
watercress
a high heat.
4 skin-on salmon fillets
(approx. 115g each) 6. Drizzle the salmon fillets with the rest of the oil
and massage all over, then season and place in the
hot pan, skin side down. Lower the heat to medium
and cook for 4–8 minutes, until the skin is crisp and
the salmon has turned opaque most of the way up
(how long this takes will depend on the thickness of
your salmon).
7. Turn the fillets over and cook for a further minute
on the other side. Place on the plates next to the
quinoa and watercress.
8. That’s both the hot and cold elements, but I think
the halogen heater idea could still catch on.
CARAWAY SALMON WITH RED PEPPER & QUINOA SALAD
 CREAMY BROCCOLI & OREGANO
PASTA
Mmmmmm, creamy pasta. Not like the stuff from a packet that was
dished up for school dinners or the stuff that comes out of a tin. The
real deal. Quick, easy and delicious, three of my favourite traits
where cooking is involved. When this first appeared on their plates,
everyone else in my household was not so sure. But I wasn’t having
any of it. ‘The kitchen is not a restaurant,’ I said. ‘You will eat what
you are given.’ That was to the 10-year-old, the 9-year-old, the 6-
year-old AND the 35-year-old! I still thought they would take some
convincing but – who knew! – hand your family a plate of cream and
garlic, mix in some oregano and pasta, and suddenly they stop
complaining!

Serves 4 1. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Once

it’s boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the
PREP 15 MINUTES
instructions on the packet. Or if you’re a dab hand at
COOK 15 MINUTES
pasta boiling, cook the pasta to your personal taste.
a large pinch of salt
During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the
broccoli.
300g dried spaghetti
200g broccoli florets , 2. Meanwhile, pour the cream into a small pan, add
cut into bite-size pieces the garlic cloves and place on a medium heat. Cook
400ml double cream the cream for 4–5 minutes, until it has reduced by
7 cloves of garlic , kept just under half and has thickened.
whole but crushed lightly
under a knife 3. Use a fork to find the garlic cloves in the pan and
1½ teaspoons dried
crush them with the back of the fork against the side
oregano of the pan. Add the oregano and Parmesan, stir and
100g Parmesan cheese keep warm.
, finely grated
4. Drain the spaghetti and broccoli, keeping the
zest of 1 lemon cooking water.
5. Add the spaghetti and broccoli to the thickened
cream mixture, season and stir. If the mixture is a
little dry, add a splash of the cooking water.
6. Grate some lemon zest on top of each plate as
you serve it. This will cut through the creaminess. I
like to just grate it on top at the end, so it doesn’t
mix in and get lost among everything else.
 TAMARIND PRAWN COCKTAIL
SANDWICH
Retro as they are, I love a good prawn cocktail. And what’s even
better in my opinion is a prawn cocktail between two slices of
bread. In case you’re wondering where I tasted my first-ever prawn
cocktail, the answer to your question is my dad’s Indian restaurant.
(Yes, that’s right! My dad served prawn cocktail in his Indian
restaurant!) I don’t know if it was authentic or anywhere near the
real thing – all I remember is that it was delicious, rich, creamy and
full of prawns. This is my take on the classic, but in sandwich form
and with my own little twists.

Serves 4 1. Put the cooked prawns into a bowl, making sure

not to tip in any excess moisture.
PREP 15 MINUTES
NO COOK 2. Now take the seafood sticks and start peeling
them in strips lengthways, until all the flesh is
220g peeled and cooked shredded, or slice thinly with a knife if yours are
king prawns difficult to peel. Add them to the prawns.
80g seafood sticks (5
sticks) 3. Put the mayonnaise, tamarind paste and pink
60g full-fat mayonnaise peppercorns into a separate bowl. Give this all a
1 tablespoon tamarind
thorough mix and add to the seafood. Stir it all
paste together.
1 teaspoon pink 4. Butter your bread slices. (I like to put lashings on.
peppercorns , crushed
My rule is if I can’t see my teeth marks in the butter,
8 slices of white bread there’s no point in eating it!)
butter , for spreading
5. Lay some shredded lettuce on top of half the
8 leaves of little gem
lettuce , shredded buttered bread slices and spoon on the prawn
(we’ve all been there, cocktail mixture.
when you go in to bite a
sandwich and manage 6. Put the rest of the buttered bread slices on top.
to take the entire leaf of Now, if like my dad you want to serve this on a bed
lettuce with you upon of lettuce in a tall martini glass, by all means do so.
exit, so let’s avoid that)
There are no rules.
 CORIANDER-CRUSTED CHICKEN LIVER
SALAD
I can picture the dread on people’s faces when they see the words
‘liver’ or ‘onion’ or – heaven forbid! – ‘liver and onion’! I grew up
eating liver curry as if it was what all children went home and ate.
But saying that, I once came home from school to be greeted by a 4-
foot defrosting river fish in the bathtub, so what was normal to me
was perhaps unusual for many! My mum makes a mean liver curry,
but I think that adding a sauce just masks the flavour of the livers,
which I quite enjoy eating pink, much to my mother’s disgust. So
what I like to do is cook them lightly enough that they don’t lose
their flavour but so they also take on some of the spices they are
coated in. Here they’re served with delicious, warm, cooked onions.
Let’s make livers more than just tolerable – let’s celebrate them!

Serves 4 1. Put the flour, salt and coriander on a plate and

mix together so the spice is distributed.
PREP 20 MINUTES
COOK 10 MINUTES 2. Have another plate handy while you dip each
piece of liver into the spiced flour mix. Once dipped,
35g plain flour set aside on the second plate. This light coating will
½ teaspoon salt , plus give the livers an aromatic crust when fried.
more for seasoning
3. Put a frying pan on a medium heat and add 3
4 teaspoons ground
coriander tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is warm, add the
5 tablespoons olive oil
chicken liver pieces and fry for 3 minutes. Turn each
piece over and fry for another 3 minutes.
500g chicken livers ,
cleaned and prepared 4. Take the livers out of the pan and place on a plate
2 red onions (approx. lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.
300g), thinly sliced
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the
2 tablespoons water
same pan (don’t wipe it out, as you want all the
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
flavour from the livers) and add the sliced red
4 large handfuls of
green salad leaves
onions. Because of the flour left in the pan the
onions may begin to stick, so add the water – this
will evaporate, but it will stop the onions sticking.
6. Cook the onions for about 2 minutes. They will
begin to wilt and soften slightly. Now season and
add the chilli flakes. Cook for another minute.
7. Meanwhile, put a large handful of green salad on
each plate.
8. Put the livers back into the pan of onions and stir
through to warm for about 20 seconds.
9. Top each plate of green salad with the liver and
onion! There – we said the two words together and
it didn’t even hurt, and neither will this dish.
CORIANDER-CRUSTED CHICKEN LIVER SALAD
CORONATION TURKEY JACKET POTATO
I had a friend at high school called Elizabeth who used to eat a
Coronation chicken baguette for lunch every single day. There we’d
all sit, at our usual table, scoffing enormous cheesy pizzas, chips
and beans, and chocolate cake with pink custard for afters, while
she tucked into her baguette yet again! It was the same for 5 years
until the day we left school. I always wondered what was so special
about that sandwich. I was tempted to ask for a bite in exchange for
a soggy, vinegar-soaked chip, but it seemed too important to her.
My curiosity stayed with me, even after that school and its awful
bottle-green uniform were left behind, and it inspired me to create
my own version, but with a jacket potato. It’s become a firm family
favourite.

Serves 4 1. Put a piece of kitchen paper on a microwaveable

dish and place your potatoes on top.
PREP 15 MINUTES
COOK 25 MINUTES 2. Microwave the potatoes on a high heat for 22
minutes. If they are still not done, keep cooking
4 potatoes (approx. them in 2-minute intervals, checking after each blast.
200g each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3. Meanwhile, place a frying pan on a medium heat
and add the oil. When it’s warm, add the turkey and
400g turkey breast ,
diced a pinch of salt and gently cook, making sure to stir
a pinch of salt
every few minutes. It should take 6–8 minutes to
cook.
3 tablespoons
mayonnaise 4. Once the turkey is cooked, set aside and allow it
2 tablespoons Greek to cool. If we were to put the mayonnaise mixture in
yoghurt with the hot turkey, the mixture might split and
1 teaspoon curry become runny. So to avoid disaster we have to
powder
exercise a tiny bit of patience. Something I don’t
1 tablespoon sweet have! That’s why I know it will split.
mango chutney
3 spring onions , thinly 5. Put the mayonnaise, yoghurt, curry powder,
sliced mango chutney and two-thirds of the spring onions
green salad , to serve into a separate bowl and give it all a thorough mix.
6. Once the turkey has cooled and is just slightly
warm, not scorching hot, add to the mayo mix and
stir through.
7. Split the potatoes in half and add the Coronation
turkey. Sprinkle with the remaining spring onions.
8. This is perfect for that post-Christmas period,
when there is way too much turkey left over and you
are fed up with turkey sandwiches. I like to serve it
with a simple green salad, and there is no need for
any salad dressing when you have this lovely
Coronation sauce on your plate.
 FENNEL, CAULIFLOWER & CHEESE
FRITTATA
Although there is something quite heart-warming and special about
a classic cauliflower cheese, I love nothing better than tampering
with recipes, and since being introduced to the dish by a friend, I
have tried so many different variations of it. My friend grew up in a
traditional English home, a world away from the home I was
brought up in, but we love nothing more than to share, exchange
and fuse our recipes. The simple addition of fennel really elevates
the flavour of the cauliflower and makes this already so versatile
vegetable even more delicious.

Serves 2 1. Place a 20cm frying pan on a medium to low

heat. Add the fennel seeds and toast them lightly,
PREP 15 MINUTES
moving them around every now and again. Make
COOK 15 MINUTES
sure they don’t burn. You will know the seeds are
1 teaspoon fennel
ready when they begin to pop. This will only take a
seeds few minutes.
2 tablespoons olive oil 2. Once the seeds are toasted, place them in a
2–3 spring onions pestle and mortar and grind them down.
(approx. 30g), thinly
sliced 3. Heat the grill to high. Put the pan back on the heat
150g cauliflower (about and add the oil. When it has heated up, add the
½ a medium head), spring onions and cauliflower and cook for 3
thinly sliced minutes, until the cauliflower has softened.
¼ teaspoon salt
4. Now add the salt and the ground fennel seeds,
4 large eggs
and cook for a further minute.
25g Red Leicester
cheese , grated 5. Meanwhile crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly
25g mature Cheddar whisk. Add three-quarters of the cheese to the egg
cheese , grated and set the remainder aside.
6. Add the egg/cheese mix to the pan and turn the
heat up to high. Give it all a good mix, making sure
the cauliflower is distributed. Turn the heat down to
low to medium, cover and cook for 3–4 minutes, until
almost set on top.
7. Take off the lid. Sprinkle with the extra cheese
and place under a very hot grill for 1 minute, until the
frittata is set on top and the cheese is golden and
bubbling.
8. You could use this as a replacement for
cauliflower and cheese in your main meal, if you
wanted. Give it a try.
 GINGER TUNA NOODLE SOUP
When we were poorly as children, and even as teenagers, my dad
would make the creamiest mash and top it with some tomato soup.
This is my children’s equivalent. When they are not feeling well, this
is what they like to eat. It’s a combination of various things they
love, all nestled in a warming, tangy broth and topped with seared
tuna. They like it so much that they want it whether they are sick or
not.

Serves 2 1. The key to a dish like this is chopping and

prepping everything beforehand. Then it’s just a
PREP 20 MINUTES
case of putting it all together.
COOK 10 MINUTES
2. Put a small frying pan on a medium heat and add
2 tablespoons olive oil the oil. Season the tuna steaks on both sides, place
a pinch of salt and them in the pan and cook on a medium to low heat
pepper , for seasoning for 2 minutes on either side. Your fish should be
2 tuna steaks (approx. brown on the outside but with a pink centre.
150g each)
750ml vegetable stock
3. Take the tuna steaks out of the pan, put on a
plate and wrap with foil to keep warm.
2 rice noodle nests
(approx. 60g each) 4. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a large
20g fresh ginger , pan, then add the 2 nests of noodles. Bring back to
peeled and sliced into the boil, then lower the heat and allow the noodles
thin matchsticks
to simmer for 4 minutes.
2 small green chillies ,
thinly sliced (seeds 5. Place the ginger, chillies, mint and spring onions in
taken out if you don’t a bowl and mix together.
want it too spicy)
6 leaves of fresh mint , 6. Divide the noodles between two deep bowls and
thinly sliced pour the broth on top.
2 spring onions , thinly 7. Slice the tuna steaks into strips and place on to
sliced
the noodles, then top with the prepared mixed
½ a lime , cut into 2
wedges (optional)
garnishes.
8. Serve each bowl with a lime wedge, if you like.
GINGER TUNA NOODLE SOUP
 FISH CURRY WITH WATERCRESS &
LEMON COUSCOUS
Available all year round at the supermarket, often mixed with other
leafy greens as part of a salad, watercress really comes into its own
when cooked. It has a sweet peppery flavour and cooks down much
like spinach, but with more kick. An ideal fish for this curry is
tilapia, a freshwater fish that is cheap and easy to prepare, with a
mild taste that works well with the peppery watercress. Or you can
use any other filleted non-smoked fish, like cod or haddock.

Serves 4 1. Put the couscous into a medium to large bowl

(one that has room for the couscous to grow). Add
PREP 20 MINUTES
boiling water until the top of the couscous is covered
COOK 40 MINUTES
with 1cm of water. Add the butter, then cover with
For the lemon
cling film and leave for 20 minutes.
couscous 2. To make the curry, put the fish into a bowl, and
240g couscous sprinkle in the paprika and ½ teaspoon of turmeric.
1 tablespoon butter Mix well, making sure to get all the fish covered with
1 lemon the spices. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt.
½ teaspoon salt 3. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium
a large handful of pea heat and add the oil. Add the fish to the pan and
shoots or microherbs ,
to garnish
cook over a high heat for 3–4 minutes on each side,
until the fish is cooked all the way through and has a
For the curry golden crust all over. Take it out of the pan and
700g skinless tilapia or leave to one side.
white fish fillets ,
defrosted if frozen, cut
4. Add the garlic, onions, chilli (deseeded if you want
into chunks less heat) and ½ teaspoon of salt to the same pan
1 teaspoon paprika and cook for 5 minutes on a low to medium heat,
1 teaspoon ground
until the onions have softened. Add ½ teaspoon of
turmeric turmeric, the cumin and coriander and cook for a
1 teaspoon salt few minutes. The spices will be dry, so add the
3 tablespoons olive oil
water at this point and leave to cook gently on a low
heat for a couple more minutes.
 3 cloves of garlic , 5. Add the watercress, then cover the pan and cook
crushed
for 2 minutes, until it has wilted.
1 small onion , finely
chopped 6. Return the fish and any resting juices to the pan
1 small green chilli , and mix through gently, just enough to warm the fish.
finely chopped
7. Meanwhile, take the cling film off the couscous
½ teaspoon ground
cumin
and fluff up with a fork. Zest the lemon and add to
the bowl along with the salt. Cut the rest of the
1 teaspoon ground
coriander lemon into wedges.
200ml water 8. Serve the curry with the couscous on the side,
85g watercress , finely garnished with pea shoots or microherbs and the
chopped lemon wedges.
 CHILLI LASAGNE
In my 10 years of being a mother I have found so many way of
eating chilli: on a potato, on a bus, in a wrap, during a swimming
lesson, on chips with the neighbours … I have a feeling lots of
people will relate to this! Chilli is versatile, quick, easy and requires
very little clear-up. So this is my version of a Mexican chilli, but
instead of wrapping it in tortillas I am using the tortillas like lasagne
sheets. I have also adapted my version so it’s suitable for
vegetarians.

Serves 6–8 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Have

a 28 x 23cm baking dish ready.
PREP 50 MINUTES
COOK 30 MINUTES 2. Put the oil into a large non-stick pan and set on a
medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, salt, cumin,
For the chilli tomato purée and tomatoes. Cook for a few
5 tablespoons olive oil minutes, until the onions and tomatoes are just soft.
7 cloves of garlic , 3. Now add the jalapeños, the meat-free chicken
crushed
pieces, the vegetarian mince and the kidney beans
1 medium red onion
(approx. 120g), roughly
and cook for 10 minutes. Add the ketchup and water
chopped and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, then add the
1 teaspoon salt coriander, stir through and take off the heat.
2 teaspoons ground 4. Put the ricotta into a bowl with three-quarters of
cumin the Cheddar and mix well.
1 tablespoon tomato
purée 5. Now start to layer by putting half the chilli mixture
2 medium tomatoes , into the base of your baking dish. Add 5 of the
diced tortilla quarters, to cover the chilli.
90g pickled jalapeños , 6. Layer half the ricotta mixture over the tortillas and
roughly chopped (you
can leave these out if
spread evenly.
you prefer it less spicy) 7. Do the same again with the rest of the tortilla
350g meat-free, pieces and ricotta, then sprinkle with the rest of the
chicken-type pieces
grated Cheddar.
350g vegetarian mince
 240g kidney beans , 8. Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the
drained
edges are crisp.
8 tablespoons ketchup
150ml water
15g fresh coriander ,
chopped

For the white sauce

500g ricotta
200g Cheddar cheese ,
grated (set aside a
quarter for the top)
2½ large wholemeal
tortillas , quartered
 BEEF SKEWERS WITH PUY LENTIL &
CHICKPEA SALAD
These are my favourite beef skewers that I cook every year on the
barbecue. The recipe has lots of lemon in it, which means the meat
doesn’t have to sit in the fridge overnight to marinate. Seeing as I
never have any room in the fridge, this seemed the best idea. I love
these skewers served with a simple fresh lentil and chickpea salad.

Serves 4 1. Soak eight wooden skewers in cold water for 15

minutes. This will prevent them burning during
PREP 1 HOUR
cooking.
COOK 10–20
MINUTES 2. Slice the steak lengthways as thinly as possible
and set aside in a bowl.
For the beef skewers
4 beef fillet steaks
3. Put the oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, chillies,
(approx. 600g), very coriander and salt into a food processor. Blitz to a
thinly sliced smooth paste, then add the paste to the bowl of
4 tablespoons olive oil steak pieces. Mix well, then cover and set aside for
peeled rind and juice of 2 20 minutes.
lemons
4. Meanwhile, make the salad. Put the garlic, onion,
2 small green chillies
coriander, chilli, mustard and oil into a bowl and mix
30g fresh coriander , well. Add the lentils and chickpeas. Squeeze in the
chopped
lime juice and mix through, then cover and set aside.
1 teaspoon salt
5. Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9 and
For the salad lightly grease a roasting dish. Or if you prefer to
1 large clove of garlic , cook your skewers on a griddle pan, grease it lightly
crushed and finely and put it on a medium to high heat to start warming
chopped
up.
1 large red onion ,
diced 6. Meanwhile, skewer the beef pieces in a zigzag
15g fresh coriander , pattern. Do this until you have filled all eight
finely chopped skewers. If you have any leftover marinade, just dab
1 small chilli , deseeded it on top of the beef.
and finely chopped
 1 tablespoon 7. Line the skewers on to the greased roasting dish
wholegrain mustard
and bake for 8–10 minutes, making sure to turn
3 tablespoons olive oil them over halfway through. Or, if griddling, put them
250g cooked Puy lentils on the hot pan and cook for 3–4 minutes on each
(buy a ready-cooked
pouch)
side.
2 x 400g tins of 8. Once cooked, serve the warm beef skewers with
chickpeas , drained the salad alongside.
juice of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon salt
Tip: Once the meat has been marinated and
skewered, these can be frozen and later cooked
straight from frozen.
BEEF SKEWERS WITH PUY LENTIL & CHICKPEA SALAD
 FIVE-SPICE DUCK PIE
Most of my recipes are inspired by a curiosity that keeps me up at
night making notes. I often wondered what a cold game pie tasted
like, but I couldn’t find a halal one that I could actually eat. So I
decided to make my own. I was out looking for a goose at Christmas
and stumbled upon a wholesaler selling ducks. I asked for 2 duck
breasts but came home with 12 frozen ducks! It wasn’t easy to
explain to my husband why I had 12 ducks, but needless to say, I
made a lot of duck pies that year and this is one of them. Duck
breast lends itself really well to Chinese five-spice. The blend I use
is a mix of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black pepper and
cloves. If you are feeling adventurous, you can make this blend
yourself, though it’s easy to find similar ones in the spice aisles of
most supermarkets.

Serves 8–10 1. For the filling, put the rashers, duck breasts,
onion, coriander, five-spice, peanuts and orange
PREP 50 MINUTES,
PLUS COOLING zest into a bowl. Give it all a good mix by hand.
COOK 2 HOURS 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and
have a 20cm loose-bottomed round tin ready.
For the filling
150g rashers, sliced
3. To make the pastry, put the water into a pan with
(bacon or halal turkey ) the fat, then bring to the boil and turn off the heat
750g duck breasts immediately.
(about 6 breasts), skin
4. Put the flour into a large bowl and make a well in
off and diced
the centre. Add the hot water and fat mixture and
1 red onion (approx.
110g), diced mix with a palette knife. The mixture will be hot, so
don’t get your hands in straight away. Leave for
15g fresh coriander ,
chopped about 5 minutes.
2 heaped teaspoons 5. Roll out the pastry on a clean surface, then set
Chinese five-spice
aside a third. Roll out the larger piece and line the
150g salted peanuts , base and sides of the tin with it, making sure to have
roughly chopped
some overhang. Put all the filling mixture into the tin
zest of 1 orange
and pat down.
For the hot water crust 6. Now roll out the other piece of pastry to make the
pastry
lid and place it on top. Seal the edges by pressing,
220ml water then cut off the excess and crimp the edges. Use
200g vegetable fat or any leftover pastry to decorate the pie however you
lard
wish. Glaze with the beaten egg and cut a slit in the
575g plain flour top.
1 medium egg , beaten
7. Bake for 30 minutes, then take out of the oven
and lower the temperature to 160°C/140°C fan/gas
3. Brush the top of the pie with the eggwash again
and put back into the oven for 90 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin
for 2 hours, then take out of the tin and leave to chill
in the fridge, covered with foil. This is great for a
picnic or garden party.
FIVE-SPICE DUCK PIE
 AUBERGINE & FETA TART
This simple tart is easy to make and easy to freeze. With the pastry-
making stage taken out, it’s that much quicker to put together, but
of course if you are having a lazy weekend you might want to make
the pastry from scratch, in your pyjamas, like I do. (And then I use
the extra time while my pastry is chilling to play hide-and-seek or
do a jigsaw with the kids!) However, when saving time is the
priority, ready-rolled is ideal, and I’ve opted for easy toppings too.
The soft aubergine works really well with the salty feta. I like to cut
it up like a pizza and serve it with salad.

Serves 4–6 1. Trim the aubergines and slice them lengthways.

Brush the slices all over with the olive oil and lightly
PREP 45 MINUTES
season. You may need more or less oil depending
COOK 20 MINUTES
on the size of your aubergines, as the sizes can vary
2 aubergines (approx.
every time.
300g) 2. Place a griddle pan (or a frying pan, if that’s all
100ml olive oil , plus you have) on a medium to high heat. Add a few
extra for drizzling
slices of aubergine and griddle on each side until
salt , for seasoning they become tender. Place on a plate, then do the
4 heaped tablespoons same with the rest of the aubergine slices.
sun-dried tomato
paste 3. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
2 cloves of garlic ,
4. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste,
crushed and finely
chopped garlic and dried basil.
1 teaspoon dried basil 5. Take the pastry out of the fridge and unroll it. It
320g packet of ready- should already be on a piece of baking paper, so
rolled puff pastry leave it there. Place on a large baking tray.
1 small egg , beaten
6. Using a small knife, score a 1cm border all the
100g feta cheese
way around the edge of the pastry. Now prick the
a few leaves of fresh
basil
base of the pastry, avoiding the border – this will
stop the inner part of the pastry puffing up. Brush
the 1cm border with beaten egg – this will give it a
gorgeous sheen when it bakes.
7. Spread the pricked base with all the tomato paste
mixture. Lay the aubergine slices all over the tomato
paste, then crumble the feta on top.
8. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30
minutes.
9. Once baked, take the tart out of the oven and
leave on the tray for 10 minutes. Rip up the basil,
sprinkle all over the top, and finally give the tart a
good drizzle of olive oil.
AUBERGINE & FETA TART
 TOMATO & ARTICHOKE PANZANELLA
I remember watching someone make panzanella on a very popular
TV show, where the contestants each host a dinner party for the
others in their own home. I watched that show more for the amusing
voiceover than for the recipes. This particular cook didn’t exactly
make soaked stale bread look appealing when he literally turned the
mixture into mush. The key here is not to over-soak or over-handle,
but to leave it just long enough to get delicious flavour into the dry
bread. With the artichokes, tomatoes and fresh basil, this is a
delicious combination. It’s the kind of dish I would serve as a
starter, or as a side with a main, or as a light lunch. I always make a
mountain of the stuff for our barbecue table in the summer.

Serves 4 1. Begin by mashing the anchovy fillets in a bowl,

using the back of a fork, or in a large pestle and
PREP 20 MINUTES,
PLUS RESTING mortar. Mix in the balsamic vinegar and oil, and set
NO COOK
aside.
2. Put the bread, tomatoes, artichokes, capers and
6 anchovy fillets onion into a large bowl and mix together. Season
3 tablespoons balsamic just lightly and mix again. Using your hands, give the
vinegar
tomatoes a squeeze to release some of their
100ml olive oil moisture.
200g bread (white or
brown), in small to 3. Drizzle over the balsamic and oil mixture and mix,
medium chunks using your hands so that everything is really well
600g ripe cherry combined.
tomatoes , halved
4. Mix in the basil, then leave it all to soak in for
1 x 400g tin of artichoke
hearts (drained weight about 30 minutes before serving.
240g), quartered
1 tablespoon capers ,
drained and roughly
chopped
1 small red onion ,
finely sliced
 salt and pepper , for
seasoning
a large handful of fresh
basil , roughly torn
 TOMATO & CUCUMBER GAZPACHO
Gazpacho is a delicious ‘no cook’ soup made with raw vegetables,
blitzed up. It’s traditionally served cold, in particular during hot
summers in Spain and Portugal. That’s exactly how I like to eat it
too, so during that one week of summer we usually get here in the
UK, I will always find an opportunity to make it! It’s quick, simple,
easy and adaptable. Best of all, it can be made in advance, stored in
the fridge, and no cooking is necessary. Which also makes it perfect
for lunches on the go.

Serves 4 1. For the garlic you will need a blowtorch or a gas

hob. If you don’t have either, you can just miss this
PREP 20 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING step out and put the garlic into the bowl peeled and
NO COOK
whole.
2. Burn the garlic over a gas flame on the hob, until
3 cloves of garlic , the outer skin is totally black. You can do the same
unpeeled and left whole
thing by placing the garlic on a baking tray and using
1 cucumber (approx.
400g), peeled and
a blowtorch to burn the skin. Put the burnt garlic skin
chopped and garlic cloves into a large bowl. This process
2 red peppers (approx. gives the whole dish a smoky taste.
300g), deseeded and
chopped
3. Add the cucumber, red peppers, cornichons,
tomatoes, red onion, bread and dried tarragon.
180g drained
cornichons , roughly Season, and give everything a good mix to combine
chopped well. Add the vinegar and oil and mix well, using your
1kg ripe tomatoes , hands and making sure to give it all a squeeze.
cored and chopped
4. Cover and leave in the fridge for 4 hours, or
1 red onion , roughly
overnight if you have time.
chopped
75g dried crusty bread 5. Spoon everything into a regular blender and blitz
, crusts kept on, roughly to a smooth paste. You can use a stick blender, if
chopped you have one. If the mixture is too thick, add some
4 tablespoons dried olive oil and blitz till you get a runnier consistency.
tarragon
salt , for seasoning 6. Check the seasoning, then drizzle with a little olive
oil and serve with some fresh tarragon sprinkled on
4 tablespoons apple top.
cider vinegar
100ml olive oil , plus
extra to drizzle
fresh tarragon , to
serve
 HALLOUMI & WATERMELON SKEWERS
WITH TAMARIND DIP
I am obsessed with this tamarind dip and eat it with almost
anything. It works really well with different textures and tastes, like
these skewers, which are a mixture of crisp bread, sweet juicy
watermelon and salty halloumi. In this recipe, I give you a special
trick to keep the halloumi lovely and gooey in the centre, so it
doesn’t dry out during cooking. These skewers are great on the
barbecue, but are just as good done indoors on a griddle or under
the grill.

Makes 8 skewers 1. Soak eight wooden skewers in cold water for 15

minutes.
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS SOAKING 2. Mix the drizzle ingredients in a jug.
COOK 10 MINUTES (6
MINUTES IF 3. Put the halloumi into a bowl and boil a kettle of
GRIDDLING, 8–10 water. Pour the boiling water over the halloumi and
MINUTES IF leave for 20 minutes. This will make the cheese
GRILLING)
really soft and smooth in the centre when cooked.
For the drizzle 4. Drain the halloumi, then put it into a large bowl
75ml olive oil with the watermelon and bread. Drizzle over the oil
1 teaspoon onion salt mixture and give everything a good mix.
1 teaspoon garlic 5. Thread cubes of halloumi, watermelon and bread
powder
on to each skewer, about six cubes on each, mixing
1 teaspoon chilli flakes them up. If there is any oil mixture left in the base of
1 tablespoon dried the bowl, drizzle it over the skewers.
fenugreek leaves
6. To make the dip, mix all the ingredients together
For the skewers in a bowl.
500g halloumi cheese ,
7. Place a griddle pan on a high heat. Brush it lightly
cut into 2.5cm cubes
or spray with a little oil. Put in four skewers at a time
400g watermelon , cut
into 2.5cm cubes
and griddle for about 6 minutes, making sure to turn
them every 1½ minutes so that you char all sides. If
150g white bread , cut you prefer, you can cook them all at once under the
into 2.5cm cubes
grill, for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally.
For the dip 8. Set aside on a plate, with some foil over the top
95g tamarind paste to keep them warm, while you grill the rest of the
100ml water skewers.
60g runny honey 9. Serve with the tamarind dip.
½ teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1 small red onion
(approx. 60g), chopped
HALLOUMI & WATERMELON SKEWERS WITH TAMARIND DIP
 LAMB & MINT PASTIES WITH QUICK
APPLE PICKLE
If I had a pound for every time I’ve said I wouldn’t eat a pasty for
lunch all five days in a week, I would be a very rich lady! I not only
love eating pasties, I love making them too, since I enjoy the
repetition of preparing things, like on a production line. I love the
solitude of doing it alone, and equally the mayhem of appointing
different jobs to different members of my family, such as roller,
cutter, filler, crimper and eggwash brusher. These pasties are one of
my favourite types, filled with soft baked lamb, potatoes, apples,
peas and mint. Perfect for a picnic, accompanied by this aromatic
apple pickle.

Makes 6 pasties and 1. First make the pastry. Put the flour, baking
about 450ml pickle powder and salt into a large bowl and mix together.
PREP 50 MINUTES, Add the butter and rub with your fingertips until the
PLUS CHILLING mixture resembles breadcrumbs, or do this in a food
COOK 1 HOUR 15 processor to speed things up.
MINUTES
2. Add the egg yolks and stir in, using a palette
For the pastry knife. Then add the water a little at a time, still
450g plain flour , plus
mixing with your palette knife. Get your hands in and
extra for dusting start to bring the dough together. You may not need
1 tablespoon baking all the water, so add it gradually until the dough just
powder starts to come together.
½ teaspoon salt 3. Flatten the pastry and wrap in cling film, then put
125g unsalted butter , into the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
cubed
2 large egg yolks 4. Meanwhile, make the filling: put the potatoes,
130–140ml cold water
peas, onions, apples, lamb, mint and salt into a
large bowl and mix together really well. Stir in the
1 egg , lightly beaten, for
glazing melted butter, then add the flour and mix until well
incorporated. This will thicken any liquid in the
For the filling (see tip ) pasties as they bake.
300g potatoes , peeled 5. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Line
and diced
two trays with baking paper and set aside.
150g frozen peas ,
defrosted and drained 6. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out on a
1 medium white onion , floured surface to a thickness of 3-4mm. Use an
finely chopped (about 18cm round dinner plate as a template, cutting
180g) around it with a sharp knife to create six pastry
2 small green apples circles. The circles may shrink a little after cutting –
(about 300g), peeled,
if this happens, gently re-roll them to 18cm.
cored and chopped
300g boneless lamb 7. Take one of the circles and place the filling on one
(leg is ideal), chopped side, making sure you leave enough to fill the other
2 tablespoons dried five. Brush the edge of one half of the circle with
mint beaten egg, then fold over the other half and you
1 teaspoon salt should have something that looks like a D shape.
40g butter , melted Crimp the edges using the tip of a fork or the back
2 tablespoons plain of a knife.
flour
8. Make a hole in the top to allow some air to
For the apple pickle escape and place on the lined tray. Now do the
5 tablespoons olive oil same with the other five circles. Brush all over with
1 teaspoon brown
the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
mustard seeds Take out of the oven and leave to stand for at least
1 teaspoon garlic 10 minutes before eating.
granules
9. While the pasties are baking, get started on the
½ teaspoon ground apple pickle. Put the oil into a non-stick pan and
ginger
place on a low heat. Add the mustard seeds, and as
¼ teaspoon ground
soon as they begin to pop, add all the other spices
turmeric
(garlic, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, chillies,
½ teaspoon fenugreek
seeds
asafoetida and onion seeds). Cook for a few
2 fresh green chillies ,
minutes. You don’t want to burn any of the spices,
thinly sliced so be very careful.
¼ teaspoon asafoetida 10. Now stir in the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add the
½ teaspoon onion apples and water and cook gently for about 20
seeds minutes, until the apples have mostly broken down.
2 tablespoons apple You may find some pieces that haven’t, but that’s
cider vinegar fine.
1 teaspoon caster
sugar 11. Leave to cool in the pan, then serve with the
½ teaspoon salt pasties. Transfer the rest of the pickle to a clean jar
4 green apples , cored and refrigerate. It can be kept for up to a month in
and chopped (skin kept
on)
the fridge.
200ml water
Tip: When preparing the filling, make sure all the
fruit and veg are chopped to roughly the same size,
as this helps it all to cook evenly.
 COUNTRY BEANS
Who doesn’t love baked beans? A favourite with kids and grown-
ups alike, as an emergency supper, comfort food on toast, part of
your morning fry-up, or on the side of chicken and chips, they are a
British classic if ever there was one. This recipe takes baked beans
to a new level, with more colour, some gentle spices and slightly
deeper flavours than the canned ones we know and love. A bowlful
of these makes a warm, filling lunch. They also go well with my
cheese scones here , if you want something extra alongside.

Serves 4 1. Heat a heavy-based medium to large saucepan

over a medium heat. Once hot, add a glug of oil and
PREP 15 MINUTES
the diced onion. Season with a little salt and pepper
COOK 35 MINUTES
and cook until the onion is completely softened and
2 tablespoons olive oil
translucent (about 10 minutes), adding the diced
pepper after 5 minutes. Turn the heat down a little if
1 medium red onion ,
diced necessary as you cook.
salt and pepper , for 2. Add the jalapeños, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika
seasoning and bay leaf and continue to cook for a further 2
1 yellow pepper , minutes, or until everything is fragrant but not
deseeded and diced
burning.
1–2 tablespoons green
jalapeños from a jar , 3. Stir in the beans and tomatoes, along with the
drained (add more, to Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Bring to a
taste)
simmer, then reduce the heat, cover, and allow to
2 cloves of garlic , finely simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring lightly now and
chopped
again, until the tomatoes have collapsed a little and
1 teaspoon ground
the beans have softened. Take off the lid for the last
cumin
5 minutes to help the sauce thicken.
1 teaspoon sweet
smoked paprika 4. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the
1 bay leaf chopped coriander. Serve while warm.
2 x 400g tins of mixed
beans in water , e.g. a
mixture of kidney,
cannellini and pinto
 beans, drained
5 medium tomatoes ,
chopped
1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon
mustard
3 tablespoons chopped
fresh coriander leaves
 BREADED MACKEREL IN TZATZIKI
PITTAS
I love fish and chips, but I prefer to do the frying myself, rather than
buying from a takeaway. It’s easy and it makes me feel better about
what I’m eating. My husband once went fishing with friends off the
coast of Wales and came home proudly with his prized catch. This
meal was the outcome. I really enjoy the contrast of the crumbs
around the oily mackerel flesh, which makes a welcome change
from cod. It’s great in toasted pittas with crisp lettuce. Serve with
my homemade tzatziki, which has a spicy kick from the addition of
fried cumin seeds.

Serves 2 1. To make the tzatziki, put the yoghurt into a bowl

with the cucumber, garlic, chopped mint and dill,
PREP 30 MINUTES
then stir in the lemon juice.
COOK 10 MINUTES
2. Heat the oil gently in a small pan. Add the cumin
For the tzatziki seeds and warm through, being careful not to burn
150g Greek yoghurt them. Once you hear the first pop, take the pan off
½ a cucumber (150g), the heat and straight away add the seeds to the
peeled, cored and diced yoghurt mixture. Stir through and set aside.
3 cloves of garlic , finely
chopped
3. Put the beaten egg on one rimmed plate and the
breadcrumbs on another.
1 large sprig of fresh
mint , finely chopped 4. Dip one of the mackerel fillets into the egg
2 sprigs of fresh dill , mixture. Take out, season on both sides, then dip
finely chopped into the breadcrumbs, making sure to cover both
juice of ½ a lemon sides of the fillet well. Press the crumbs on to the
2 tablespoons olive oil fish. Do the same with the other piece of fish.
1 teaspoon cumin
5. Put the oil into a non-stick frying pan and place on
seeds
a medium heat.
For the breaded 6. Add the fish and cook on one side for 4 minutes,
mackerel
then turn over and cook for 4 minutes on the other
side. Place on kitchen paper to drain.
 2 mackerel fillets 7. Toast the pitta breads and slice each one along
(approx. 240g), skin on
the long edge to create a pocket. Add the lettuce
salt , for seasoning and mackerel, and top with the tzatziki. Serve any
1 medium egg , lightly extra tzatziki on the side.
beaten
50g dried breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons olive oil
8 leaves of little gem
lettuce , thinly sliced
2 pitta breads
 Midweek Meals
The mad midweek meals are the ones that can make me or break me! If I
can go a full week and manage the meals without falling apart completely,
well, that for me is an achievement. It was very different back before life
got hectic. Then, I could leisurely cook my dinner while dipping in and out
of ironing, texting, talking to my sister on the phone … oh, and drinking
cups and cups of Yorkshire tea. But eating and feeding has changed over
the years. These days, things are busy enough without worrying about
what we’re going to eat. Mealtimes are no longer just about nurture, they
are also about being thrifty, being inventive, being creative, and most of
all, cooking something that causes everyone to make yummy sounds and
keeps them going till the weekend.
 LAMB BHUNA WITH GARLIC NAAN
Much as I love a home-cooked curry, I needed a faster way of
making them. So this is my speedy curry solution, with a sauce that
gets blitzed in a food processor before being cooked. It’s sweet,
aromatic and very quick, letting you enjoy the curry and some free
time. Even better, every element of the dish can be frozen, saving
you even more time on another day.

Serves 4 1. First make the curry paste. Put the olive oil, salt,
garlic, ginger, onions, peppers, chillies, cinnamon,
PREP 40 MINUTES,
PLUS RESTING turmeric, curry powder and 100ml of water into a
COOK 1 HOUR
food processor. Blitz the whole lot to a smooth
paste and put to one side.
For the lamb bhuna 2. Next make the dough for the naan. Put the flour,
200ml olive oil garlic granules, sugar, salt and softened butter into a
2 teaspoons salt bowl. Mix everything together well and rub in the
10 cloves of garlic , butter.
peeled
3. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Mix
50g ginger , peeled and
sliced with a palette knife, then get your hands in and bring
4 small onions (approx.
the dough together.
400g), roughly chopped 4. On a floured work surface, knead the dough for
2 large peppers 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes if using a mixer.
(approx. 400g), roughly
chopped 5. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave on the
4 large red chillies , worktop to rest for 20 minutes.
roughly chopped
6. While the dough is resting, start cooking the curry.
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Place a pan on a medium heat and add half the
1 teaspoon turmeric
curry paste. (Put the other half of the paste into a jar
4 teaspoons curry and store in the freezer, ready for the next time you
powder
need a curry hit.)
100ml water
800g lamb leg , diced
7. Cook the curry paste for 10 minutes. Add the
300ml water
lamb and cook for another 10 minutes.
 15g fresh coriander , 8. Add 200ml of water and leave the bhuna to
chopped
simmer gently for 30 minutes with the lid on.
For the naan 9. While the bhuna is simmering, divide the naan
200g self-raising flour , dough into four equal pieces and roll each one out to
plus extra for dusting the thickness of a pound coin.
2 tablespoons garlic
granules 10. Put a griddle pan on a high heat. Put one of your
1 teaspoon sugar
naans on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes on each
side. Cover with foil and keep warm while you
1 teaspoon salt
griddle the rest of the naans.
25g unsalted butter ,
softened 11. Once the bhuna is cooked, take it off the heat
50g unsalted butter , and add the chopped coriander. Brush the warm
melted naans with melted butter on both sides and serve
with the bhuna.
LAMB BHUNA WITH GARLIC NAAN
 SPICED BEAN & BANGER STEW
Sausages didn’t used to be something that was widely available to
people following a halal diet. So I never really got introduced to
them until just over a decade ago. Oh, and what an introduction it
was! I remember the first month, the honeymoon period, when I’d
have a Full English for breakfast, a sausage and egg sandwich for
lunch, toad-in-the-hole for dinner and cold leftover sausages from
the fridge when I was peckish doing the midnight breastfeed. Since
then, I have reined it in, but I still love a good sausage and bean
stew. One pot, simple and hearty.

Serves 4 1. Use a large casserole or heavy-based pan and

place on a medium heat. Add the chunks of sausage
PREP 25 MINUTES
and cook, stirring occasionally, making sure they are
COOK 1 HOUR 20
MINUTES
fully cooked through. This should take only about 10
minutes.
6 sausages (400g 2. Take the sausage pieces out of the pan, leaving
pack), cut into chunks
the pan on the heat and setting the sausage aside in
50ml olive oil
a bowl.
4 cloves of garlic , finely
chopped 3. Add the olive oil and garlic to the pan and cook
3 celery stalks , sliced for a few minutes. Now add the celery, red onions,
(approx. 100g) tomato purée, carrots, salt and tomatoes. Cook on
3 small red onion a medium heat for 12–15 minutes.
(approx. 300g), finely
chopped 4. Add the paprika and cinnamon to the sauce and
2 tablespoons tomato let the spices cook for 5 minutes.
purée
5. Add the beans, water and the cooked sausage,
2 carrots (approx. put the lid on the pan, and cook on a medium to low
140g), thinly sliced
heat for 45–50 minutes.
1 teaspoon salt
2 tomatoes , chopped
6. Once cooked through, the whole stew will have
(approx. 200g) thickened significantly.
1 teaspoon paprika 7. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.
 1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
3 x 400g tins of butter
beans (235g drained
weight per tin), drained
and rinsed
500ml water (or chicken
stock)
a handful of fresh
parsley (15g), finely
chopped
SPICED BEAN & BANGER STEW
 OYSTER MUSHROOM & SOBA NOODLE
SOUP
Who doesn’t love a noodle soup? It’s an easy way to give leftover
vegetables another lease of life, by serving them in hot brothy
goodness. I like to use soba (or buckwheat) noodles, which have a
distinct dark colour and really keep their bite despite being cooked
in the liquid. This simple broth is flavoured with miso, to give it a
sweetness, and with a hint of kaffir lime for its aroma. I tend to
make this with just vegetables, but you can easily add shredded
chicken to it, if you like.

Serves 4 1. Put the stock into a large pan and bring to the
boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down almost
PREP 15 MINUTES
completely and leave it at a gentle simmer.
COOK 15 MINUTES
2. Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, honey, chilli
1.5 litres vegetable flakes, miso paste and mushrooms. Leave to
stock simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the noodles,
5cm ginger (approx. giving them a stir so that they are dispersed through
50g), peeled and finely
chopped
the stock. If they sit together in a clump, they will
stick.
3 cloves of garlic ,
peeled and finely 3. Turn the heat up, bring to the boil, and cook the
chopped
noodles for 6 minutes.
5 tablespoons dark soy
sauce 4. Lower the heat almost completely again, then stir
2 teaspoons runny in the spring onions, bamboo shoots, kaffir lime
honey leaves, lime juice and coriander.
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
5. Leave to simmer for a few minutes, just to warm
1 tablespoon white miso the bamboo shoots, then take off the heat and
paste
serve.
150g oyster
mushrooms , any large
ones roughly torn up
125g buckwheat
noodles
3 spring onions , finely
sliced
1 x 225g tin of bamboo
shoots (drained weight
125g), sliced into thin
strips
5 dried kaffir lime
leaves , crushed in your
hand
juice of 1 lime
a large handful of fresh
coriander , roughly
chopped
 SMOKED HADDOCK RAREBIT WITH
CHICORY & RADISH SALAD
Welsh rarebit is essentially a very fancy version of cheese on toast.
It’s the best kind, the kind made with careful precision, and
everyone who is anyone has their own favourite way of making and
eating it. In my recipe I like to flavour the cheese topping with
mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and to mix in some poached
smoked haddock for a little something extra. Pour it all over toasted
slices of fresh bread, top with extra cheese and stick under the grill
for rarebit perfection. The salad adds a little freshness on the side.

Serves 4 1. Preheat a grill to a medium high heat. If you don’t

have access to a grill, preheat the oven to
PREP 15 MINUTES
200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
COOK 20 MINUTES
2. On a medium heat, place a frying pan just big
For the rarebit enough to fit the haddock. Put the haddock into the
2 x 150g undyed pan, skin side up, and pour over the milk. Bring to a
smoked haddock fillets gentle simmer, then let the fish poach for 2–3
, skin on, bones
removed
minutes. Remove the fish from the pan, reserving
the milk.
400ml whole milk
25g butter 3. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and
25g plain flour flake the fish into a bowl, in large chunks. Keep
1 teaspoon
warm under cling film.
Worcestershire sauce 4. To prepare the salad, mix together the oil,
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard and lemon juice until combined. Season with
mustard
salt and pepper. Slice the radishes and separate the
75g mature Cheddar chicory leaves, tearing any large ones.
chesse , grated
salt and pepper , for 5. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small, heavy-
seasoning based pan over a medium heat. Once melted, add
1 egg yolk the flour and stir in, cooking for 4–5 minutes or until
4 large thick slices of the mixture resembles ground almonds. Whisk in the
bread (e.g. sourdough reserved poaching milk, bit by bit, until completely
or bloomer)
 For the salad combined, then cook gently for 3–4 minutes, until
4–5 tablespoons fairly thick.
hazelnut oil
2 teaspoons wholegrain
6. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and
mustard three-quarters of the Cheddar and stir until the
juice of ½ a lemon , or cheese has melted. Season as necessary. Remove
to taste from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk.
1 large handful of 7. Toast the bread until golden on both sides, then
radishes , trimmed and
thinly sliced put the slices of toast on a baking tray. Gently stir
2 heads of chicory ,
the flaked haddock into the rarebit sauce and divide
thinly sliced between the pieces of toast. Top with the remaining
cheese.
8. Place under the preheated grill for 2–3 minutes,
or until dark golden in colour. Alternatively, cook the
rarebit in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes until
golden.
9. Meanwhile, mix the salad with the dressing and
season if you like. Serve with the hot rarebit.
 FENUGREEK PARATHAS
These parathas are an homage to those mashed potato lovers who
always make too much mash. I always make too much mash, my
sister always makes too much mash, and we all spend an afternoon
trying to work out what to do with the leftovers. Well, this is a great
way to savour that extra mash, and using a block of ready-made puff
pastry lets you make the easiest fenugreek parathas ever. Served
with cool yoghurt and a mango pickle, they make a simple but
delicious meal.

Serves 6 1. Put the mashed potato into a bowl and add the
spring onions, salt, chilli flakes and fenugreek
PREP 30 MINUTES
leaves. Mix it all up so it is all well combined.
COOK 35 MINUTES
2. Divide the mixture into six equal amounts and set
250g leftover mashed aside.
potato (see tip )
2 spring onions , finely
3. Divide your puff pastry into six equal pieces. One
chopped at a time, roll each piece of pastry into a ball, then
½ teaspoon salt flatten so it’s wide enough to house the potato filling.
1 teaspoon chilli flakes 4. Place one-sixth of the filling on the flattened
2 tablespoons dried pastry and encase within the pastry.
fenugreek leaves
5. Flour your work surface very lightly. Place the
500g ready-made puff
pastry stuffed pastry seam-side down on the work surface
plain flour , for dusting
and roll out. Make sure to turn it so you get a good
circle. Aim for a diameter of about 18cm and a
100g melted butter
thickness of about 3mm.
Greek yoghurt and
mango pickle , to serve 6. Repeat the same for the other five pieces of
pastry. If you are doing other things, or if the pastry
starts to get sticky, place the rolled-out parathas in
the fridge, separated by sheets of greaseproof
paper.
7. Heat a large frying pan (preferably non-stick) over
a medium heat. In batches, place the parathas in the
hot pan and cook for 2–3 minutes on both sides.
8. Take off the heat and brush the parathas with
butter. Serve warm with the yoghurt and pickle.

Tip: To make 250g of mash, cook 1 large (300g)

potato in the microwave for 10–15 minutes in 5-
minute bursts, then peel off the skin and mash the
flesh.
FENUGREEK PARATHAS
 CLOVE & SQUASH RISOTTO
I’m certainly no expert at cooking risotto but I do love making it. It’s
a little more time-consuming than other rice dishes, but the finished
dish is well worth the wait. Risotto is all about standing in front of
the stove and watching your dish as it transforms, and this recipe is
no different. The sweet squash is complemented by the addition of
ground cloves, mixed with the slow-cooked risotto grains and the
tang of Parmesan. It’s the perfect opportunity to stand at the stove
and have a chat on the phone to someone whom you haven’t spoken
to for a while.

Serves 4 1. Place a frying pan on a medium heat and add the

oil. When the oil has warmed up, add the squash,
PREP 20 MINUTES
followed by the ground cloves and salt, and cook
COOK 30 MINUTES
gently for 15–20 minutes, until the squash has
2 tablespoons olive oil ,
softened.
plus a drizzle, to garnish 2. Meanwhile, put the stock into a pan on the hob
½ a small butternut and bring to the boil. Once it has boiled, leave it to
squash , peeled and
cubed (approx. 300g
simmer.
prepped weight) 3. To make the risotto you will need a wide non-stick
¼ teaspoon ground pan. Place it on a medium heat and add the butter.
cloves
½ teaspoon salt 4. Once the butter has melted, go ahead and add
the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, till
1.75 litres vegetable
stock it is soft but not browned.
50g unsalted butter 5. Now add the risotto rice. Cook on a high heat for
1 small onion (approx. 2 minutes, then turn the heat back down to medium.
150g), finely chopped
6. Add a ladle of the hot stock to the rice and stir
350g risotto rice
until all the liquid has been absorbed. Keep doing
70g Parmesan , finely
grated
this until the rice is soft but still has a little bite in the
a handful of rocket , to
middle. This should take about 18–20 minutes. But
garnish it’s the perfect time for a catch-up. Get on that
blower!
7. Once all the stock has been added and the rice is
soft, stir in the cooked squash.
8. Add the grated Parmesan and mix through. If the
risotto has stiffened too much, add a splash more
stock to loosen it a little.
9. Check the seasoning and garnish the risotto with
rocket leaves and olive oil.
 GARAM MASALA RICE & PEAS WITH
RUNNY FRIED EGGS
This recipe is the ethnic version of egg and chips. We almost always
have a Tupperware full of this rice in the freezer. I usually cook it en
masse, giving me the excuse to freeze batches, so we can later whip
it out, warm it up and fry a quick egg to go with it. The rice is lightly
fragrant with spices and has a gorgeous brown colour from the
caramelized onions. This meal is a firm favourite in our household,
and once you’ve tried this recipe I assure you that you will feel like
a rice pro! I certainly did after learning this one.

Serves 4 1. Soak the rice in cold water and set aside.

PREP 15 MINUTES 2. Put the clarified butter into a large non-stick pan
COOK 1 HOUR 10 and place on a high heat. Once the butter has
MINUTES melted, add the onions and turn the heat down to
medium. Let the onions cook – at this point don’t be
300g basmati rice tempted to stir them.
100g clarified butter
(ghee), or, if you can’t 3. You will see that the onions will start browning at
find this, unsalted butter the edges of the pan to begin with, so now stir and
1 small onion (approx. bring these brown onions to the centre. Keep doing
150g), sliced this until all the onions are brown. This can take
1 litre boiling water about 15–20 minutes. The onions should be almost
1 teaspoon salt black, not burnt but a very dark brown. Take them
4 teaspoons garam off the heat and let the butter cool down for about
masala 10 minutes.
150g frozen peas
4. Now add 250ml of boiling water and put the pan
4 tablespoons olive oil back on the heat. The onions will slowly soften as
4 eggs , for frying the water evaporates.
5. You will know the onions are ready when you
squeeze a piece between the back of your spoon
and the inside of the pan and the onion
disintegrates. At this point, add the salt, garam
masala and frozen peas. Cook for 3–5 minutes.
6. Drain the rice and stir into the onion mix.
7. Now add the remaining 750ml of boiling water,
stir, and leave to boil for 15 minutes. Once all the
water has evaporated, lower the temperature as
much as you can and put a lid on the pan. Leave to
steam for 10 minutes with the lid on.
8. Meanwhile, fry the eggs. Put the oil into a pan on
a medium heat. Crack in the eggs and cook on one
side for 3 minutes, basting the tops with oil from the
pan to cook the whites.
9. Serve the hot rice with the warm runny egg.
 PRAWN & ORANGE CURRY WITH
BASMATI RICE
Someone once said to me, ‘Fish and fruit don’t go together.’ But I
think you will find that they do! Or at least that’s what my Nan led
me to believe for a very long time, and boy, was she right. Although
I grew up in a home where fruit and freshwater fish were considered
a winning combo, I’m always slightly deterred by people’s
hesitation at the very thought of the two together. But I do love a
challenge, and every time I get that reaction I set out to change
perceptions – and this dish will do exactly that. What your mind
doesn’t comprehend, your taste buds will make sense of. I promise.
Just let me prove you wrong.

Serves 3 1. Put the olive oil in a pan and place on a medium

heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute.
PREP 20 MINUTES
COOK 25 MINUTES 2. Add the chopped onion and green chilli and cook
for a further 3 minutes, allowing the onions to soften.
For the prawn and
orange curry 3. Stir in the turmeric, salt, cumin and paprika. The
3 tablespoons olive oil
dish will be very dry now because of the spices, so
add the water. Then add the orange zest and juice,
3 cloves of garlic , finely
chopped stir again, and allow the whole thing to cook gently
1 small onion (approx.
for about 12–15 minutes.
75g), chopped 4. While the sauce is simmering, let’s move on to the
1 small green chilli , rice. Place the rice in a medium pan so the grains
chopped
have room to move while boiling. Add the water and
¼ teaspoon turmeric bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring after 5
½ teaspoon salt , plus minutes. Let it boil for another 5 minutes and then
more for seasoning
stir again. The water should have almost entirely
1 teaspoon ground evaporated.
cumin
2 teaspoon paprika 5. Put the pan on the lowest setting on your hob,
200ml water cover and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
zest and juice of 1 large 6. The curry sauce should now have reduced and
orange
thickened. Check the seasoning, then go ahead and
300g raw shelled tiger add your prawns. Cook for as little as 3–4 minutes
prawns
or just until they have gone pink.
a handful of fresh
coriander (approx. 15g), 7. Take off the heat and stir in the coriander. Serve
chopped the curry with the hot rice.
For the basmati rice
225g basmati rice
500ml cold water
PRAWN & ORANGE CURRY WITH BASMATI RICE
IMAM BAYILDI WITH LEMON COUSCOUS
This is a typically Turkish dish. There are many variations out there
and this is my addition to the world’s repertoire of imam bayildi
recipes. My sister has an addiction to aubergine. I don’t often use
the world addiction lightly, but she called me once and said she had
great news. Now imagine my excitement: New baby? New house?
New job? No. She said, ‘I’ve bought a whole box of aubergines for a
pound! I’m going to cook aubergines all week!’ She genuinely will
eat aubergine three times a week, and she is always pleased when I
cook my version of imam bayildi for her, to add a fourth aubergine
dish to her weekly quota. While you enjoy this recipe, I will be
seeking an Aubergine Anonymous Addiction Association for her.

Serves 4 1. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat and

add the oil.
PREP 20 MINUTES
COOK 20 MINUTES 2. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, salt and
tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions
For the imam bayildi have softened slightly and the tomatoes have
100ml olive oil softened and started to break down.
3 red onions (approx. 3. Now add the cinnamon and cumin and cook for
450g), cut into large
chunks about a minute. Add the aubergines, and stir for 1–2
½ teaspoon salt
minutes. The mixture will start to stick to the pan a
little because of the dry spices, so add the water
4 large tomatoes
(approx. 400g), cut into and continue to cook on a low to medium heat for
large chunks 10–15 minutes, until the aubergines are tender.
1 teaspoon ground 4. Meanwhile, place the couscous in a large bowl.
cinnamon
Bring the stock to a boil and add the zest and juice
2 teaspoons ground
of the lemon. Now pour the stock over the couscous.
cumin
Stir, then cover with cling film.
2 large aubergines
(approx. 400g), cut into 5. Leave for 10 minutes, then uncover and use a
small (2cm) chunks
fork to fluff up the couscous. Check the seasoning
150ml water and stir in a little of the chopped parsley.
a handful of fresh flat- 6. Serve the couscous and imam bayildi together,
leaf parsley (approx.
15g), chopped
and top the aubergine with parsley and toasted
almonds.
25g toasted flaked
almonds

For the couscous

200g couscous
250ml vegetable stock
zest and juice of 1
lemon
salt , for seasoning
IMAM BAYILDI WITH LEMON COUSCOUS
 TANDOORI COD BURGER
Everyone loves a bright piece of nuclear tandoori chicken, right? I
have been known to dabble in synthetic flavours and colourings like
the best of them, but even I can’t get my head round food colouring
for chicken! Luckily, there are alternative ways of colouring food
naturally, using simple ground spices that not only impart flavour,
but also produce beautiful colours that are enhanced with cooking.
This tandoori cod is tinted with a masala mix that contains ground
tomato powder. The fish is cooked gently, then served with a zingy
onion and cucumber salad, all sandwiched between slices of
brioche. Not a dyed pink finger in sight!

Serves 2 1. Put 2 tablespoons of oil, the tandoori masala, 1

tablespoon of Greek yoghurt and the salt into a
PREP 15 MINUTES
medium bowl and stir to combine.
COOK 6 MINUTES
2. Add the cod to the bowl and coat with the masala
4 tablespoons olive oil mix.
1½ tablespoons
tandoori masala
3. Put a small frying pan on a medium heat and add
the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once it’s hot, turn
3 tablespoons Greek
yoghurt the heat down slightly and add the cod. Cook gently
salt , for seasoning
for 2–3 minutes on either side, then take off the heat
and set aside, covered with foil.
2 pieces of skinless
cod fillet (approx. 100g 4. Put the red onion, mint leaves and cucumber into
each)
another bowl and mix together, seasoning to taste.
¼ of a red onion
(approx. 35g), thinly 5. Spread the rest of the Greek yoghurt over two
sliced slices of the brioche. Pile half the cucumber salad on
5 fresh mint leaves , to each slice. Top each one with the tandoori cod
thinly sliced and close the sandwiches with the remaining two
100g cucumber , centre brioche slices.
core removed and the
rest sliced
4 slices of brioche
TANDOORI COD BURGER
 STEAK & KIDNEY RAS-EL-HANOUT PIE
With its soft steamed pie crust, earthy spices and strong steak and
kidney flavours, this pie is more satisfying than most, especially
midweek when you need something to keep you going until Friday.
Every corner of the world has its own special spice blend that
evolves with time, and ras el hanout is a North African blend,
usually a combination of cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon,
nutmeg, mace, allspice and turmeric. Other spice blends work here
too, so find the one you like most and feel free to experiment with
it.

Serves 4 1. Put the kidney in a bowl, pour in the milk, stir and
set aside.
PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS
COOLING 2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan on a medium
COOK 2 HOURS 45 heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onion and salt and cook
MINUTES for 5–10 minutes, until soft. If it starts to stick, don’t
be tempted to take the pan off the heat. Just add a
For the filling
little water and help it to come away.
140g lamb’s kidney ,
chopped into small 3. Now add the steak and cook until the meat is
pieces brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10
200ml whole milk minutes.
3 tablespoons olive oil
4. Drain the kidney and rinse under cold water. Add
2 cloves of garlic ,
to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the
crushed
ras el hanout and cook for 5 more minutes before
5cm fresh ginger ,
peeled and crushed pouring in the ginger beer.
1 medium onion , 5. Cook for 10–15 minutes more, until all reduced
roughly chopped down. Take off the heat, stir in the spring onions and
1 teaspoon salt leave to cool completely.
400g beef steak (e.g.
braising steak), cut into
6. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and
small chunks boil a full kettle of water. Grease a 23 x 13cm loaf
300g chestnut tin.
mushrooms , cut into
small chunks (same
 size as beef pieces) 7. Start on the pastry by putting the flour, butter and
4 teaspoons ras el suet into a bowl. Rub with your fingertips until it
hanout resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre,
150ml ginger beer add the water and bring the dough together. Set a
3 spring onions , finely third of it aside.
chopped
8. Roll the larger piece of pastry to a rectangle of 40
For the suet pastry x 30cm, large enough to line the tin with some
350g self-raising flour overhang. Line the tin, leaving the excess pastry
75g unsalted butter attached. Spoon in the cooled pie filling.
100g suet 9. Roll out the rest of the pastry and place it on top,
150ml cold water cutting it to just cover the filling. Trim the overhang,
using the sides of the tin as a guide, and fold over
the edges, working all the way round.
10. Place a lightly greased rectangle of baking
paper over the top of the pie. Cover with foil, then sit
the loaf tin in a large roasting tin. Pour boiling water
into the roasting tin, to come halfway up the outside
of the loaf tin, and steam in the oven for 2 hours.
11. Take out of the oven and transfer to a plate.
Serve the pie with mashed potatoes.
 RED SPLIT LENTILS WITH FIVE-SPICE
SODA BREAD
This is one of the first recipes I was ever taught. Lentils can be
tricky because sometimes they need an overnight soak. Too many
times I’ve forgotten to soak them the night before and had to
abandon the recipe. But here they need no soaking and very little
attention, they simply like to sit and stew as the flavours enhance.
I’ve served them with an even simpler five-spice soda bread, with
absolutely no proving or kneading required. It may just be the most
chilled-out meal you have ever made.

Serves 4 1. To get started on the soda bread, preheat the

oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and line a baking
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS COOLING tray with baking paper.
COOK 1 HOUR 10 2. Put the flours, salt, bicarbonate of soda and five-
MINUTES spice into a large bowl and give it all a good mix.
Make a well in the centre and add a little over half
For the soda bread
the buttermilk. Bring the dough together by hand,
250g plain flour , plus
extra for dusting
adding more of the buttermilk if needed.
250 strong bread flour 3. As soon as all the flour is absorbed and the
1 teaspoon salt dough comes together, lightly flour the work surface,
1 teaspoon bicarbonate tip the dough on to it and roll it into a neat ball
of soda shape. Place on the baking tray.
1 tablespoon Indian five- 4. Using a sharp knife, make a cut down the centre
spice (cumin, mustard,
fenugreek, nigella and vertically and then the same horizontally to form a
fennel seeds) cross, making sure to cut all the way down to the
up to 400ml buttermilk base.
(see tip )
5. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 minutes, until the
For the lentils bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on
the base. Put on a wire rack to cool.
150g red split lentils
1 litre cold water 6. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils till the water runs
1 bay leaf clear. Put them in a pan with the cold water, bay
 1 dried red chilli leaf, red chilli, turmeric and salt. Bring to the boil and
½ teaspoon turmeric leave to simmer for 30 minutes till the mixture is
½ teaspoon salt thicker and the lentils have broken up.
100g unsalted butter 7. Put the butter into a small frying pan and let it
5 cloves of garlic , melt on a medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and fry
sliced thinly
until golden. Pour the garlic and butter into the lentils
a handful of fresh and mix through.
coriander (approx. 10g),
chopped 8. Now add the chopped coriander and take the pan
off the heat. Serve the warm lentils with chunks of
soda bread.

Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, (as most of us

normally don’t!) just mix 4 tablespoons of lemon
juice or white vinegar with 400ml of milk, stir and
leave to sit for 5 minutes.
 STICKY STAR ANISE WINGS WITH
CHUNKY CHIPS
I was born and raised in Luton, which is famed for ‘chicken, chips
and chilli sauce’. I never ate those (or indeed any kind of takeaway)
while growing up, but as soon as I turned 18, I discovered freedom,
fear and (my parents’ worst nightmare) fast food! Chicken and chips
are a prized combination, so I decided to make my own version, and
here it is. These wings are soft, sticky and certainly finger-licking
good. Forget cutlery; your hands are all you need here!

Serves 4 1. Find a pan big enough to fit the chicken wings

comfortably with some space. Half fill with water
PREP 25 MINUTES
and bring to the boil. When boiling, drop the chicken
COOK 1 HOUR 10
MINUTES
wings in and boil for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the wings and leave to cool. Once cool
For the wings enough to handle, pat them dry individually, making
1kg chicken wings , sure to get rid of all moisture.
wing tips removed
4 tablespoons brown 3. Clean out the pan, refill with cold water and add
sauce the salt. Add the potato chunks, place the pan on a
4 cloves of garlic , high heat and boil for 4–5 minutes, until tender but
crushed not breaking up. Drain the potatoes, spread them
3 tablespoons light out on a tray, then set aside to cool down and dry.
brown sugar
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put
4 tablespoons sweet
chilli sauce the brown sauce, garlic, brown sugar, chilli sauce,
soy sauce and star anise into a large bowl and mix
4 tablespoons soy
sauce together. Add the chicken wings and turn them
1 tablespoon ground around to coat them with the sauce.
star anise (see tip )
5. Transfer the wings to one large baking tray or two
2 spring onions , thinly medium trays, keeping them in one even layer.
sliced (optional)
Roast on the middle shelf of the oven for 35–40
For the chunky chips minutes, turning the wings after 20 minutes.
20g salt , plus more for 6. Meanwhile (about 20 minutes before the wings
seasoning
are done), put the oil in a large deep pan and begin
1kg large potatoes to heat on a high heat. Drop a piece of potato into
(about 4–5), peeled and
cut into chunky chips the oil and as soon as it starts to bubble, sizzle and
2 litres vegetable oil
float, you are ready to add the rest of the potato
pieces. If you have a probe thermometer, this should
be at about 180°C.
7. Fry the chips for 6–8 minutes – they should be
golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to drain them,
and place them on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Sprinkle with salt.
8. Serve the hot wings and chips straight away. You
can sprinkle thinly sliced spring onion on top of the
wings, if you like.

Tip: If you can’t find ground star anise, you can

grind four whole ones with a pestle and mortar or
spice grinder, then sieve to remove any bits.
STICKY STAR ANISE WINGS WITH CHUNKY CHIPS
 BLACK BEAN MOLE ENCHILADAS
Enchiladas are a favourite meal in our house. They’re warm and
filling, especially with this rich Mexican mole sauce. Don’t be put off
when you see chocolate in the list of ingredients – I’m not
suggesting scattering chocolate chips on your dinner! Instead, a few
squares of very dark chocolate melted into the sauce give it a
delicious deep flavour and distinctive colour.

Serves 6 1. Put the oil into a non-stick pan on a medium heat.

Add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and warm them
PREP 30 MINUTES
gently. Add the onion, celery and salt, and cook for
COOK 1 HOUR 10
MINUTES
a few minutes until it all gets soft and brown.
2. Add the red chilli, tomato purée, cumin, coriander
For the enchiladas and chilli powder and cook down for a few minutes.
2–3 tablespoons Throw in the tinned tomatoes and beans and cook
vegetable oil
gently for 15–20 minutes, until all the moisture has
1 bay leaf evaporated and the mixture is nice and dry.
1 cinnamon stick
3. Take off the heat, take out the bay leaf and
1 small onion , chopped
cinnamon stick, and stir in the chopped coriander.
1 celery stick , sliced
1 teaspoon salt 4. To make the mole sauce, put the oil, garlic, onion,
1 large red chilli ,
salt, cumin, coriander, tomatoes, jalapeños and
chopped water into a pan and cook for about 10 minutes on a
1 tablespoon tomato medium heat, until everything in the pan has
purée softened. Take off the heat, stir in the chocolate and
1 teaspoon each of let it melt, then blend using either a stick blender or
ground cumin , ground a regular blender.
coriander and chilli
powder 5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
1 x 400g tin of chopped 6. To assemble, put a little of the mole sauce into
tomatoes
the base of a roasting dish or casserole dish.
3 x 400g tins of black
beans , drained 7. Take a tortilla and place some of the black bean
large handful fresh chilli in the centre, in a line. Fold over the shorter
coriander edges of the tortilla, then roll up and place in the
 6 tortilla wraps dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
1 small red onion ,
thinly sliced 8. When all the enchiladas are in the dish, cover
150g Cheddar , finely
them with the rest of the mole sauce and sprinkle
grated over the red onions and cheese. Bake in the oven
for 25–30 minutes.
For the mole sauce
9. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for
2 tablespoons olive oil
about 10 minutes before serving.
2 cloves of garlic ,
chopped
1 small onion , chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each of
ground cumin and
ground coriander
1 x 400g tin of chopped
tomatoes
100g jalapeños ,
drained
100ml water
4 cubes of 70% dark
chocolate
 FISH PIE WITH CINNAMON SWEET
POTATO
Fish pie is one of my favourite dishes to eat and to make. There’s
something comforting about food you can eat with just a fork: it’s
informal and leaves your other hand free to hold the hot plate
underneath. Here, the fish is poached in coconut milk and topped
with cinnamon sweet potato mash. It’s also lactose-free, so I hope
this recipe will appeal to everyone.

Serves 4 1. Put the olive oil, sweet potatoes, onion, cinnamon

and salt into a medium pan and cook for 5 minutes.
PREP 40 MINUTES
Add the water and place a lid on top. Cook for 12–
COOK 25 MINUTES
15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and all the
For the cinnamon
water has evaporated. Mash the potatoes using the
sweet potato back of a fork, and set aside.
1 tablespoon olive oil 2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
5 sweet potatoes
(approx. 600g), peeled 3. Put the coconut milk into a medium pan with the
and cubed bay leaves and bring to the boil. Add the fish and
1 medium onion turn off the heat. Leave to poach in the residual heat
(approx. 100g), roughly for 5–10 minutes.
chopped
4. Meanwhile, put the eggs on to boil. They need
½ teaspoon ground
cinnamon about 9 minutes in a pan of boiling water.
salt , for seasoning 5. Remove the fish to a plate, throw away the bay
150ml water leaves and pour the hot coconut milk into a jug.

For the fish pie 6. Add the oil to the empty pan and warm through.
400ml coconut milk
Now add the flour and mix well, stirring all the time.
Pour the hot coconut milk back in and whisk until the
5 bay leaves
mixture has thickened. Season to taste.
340g fresh fish pie mix
(cod, salmon, smoked 7. Add the sweetcorn and peas and mix. Add the
pollock) fish and gently stir, making sure not to break up the
3 eggs pieces. Then pour the mixture into a 23cm round or
3 tablespoons olive oil square baking dish.
3 tablespoons plain
flour 8. Carefully peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut each
salt , for seasoning
one into quarters. Dot the egg quarters across the
fish mixture.
70g tinned sweetcorn ,
drained 9. Roughly spoon the mashed sweet potato across
70g frozen peas , the top of the pie and bake for 25–30 minutes.
defrosted
 INDIAN FIVE-SPICE VEGETABLE STIR-
FRY
This is my go-to recipe on a weekly basis. I tend not to buy ready-
mixed bags of stir-fry vegetables – although those are perfectly
good for this recipe, I prefer to use up whatever I have left over in
the fridge, since I always have stray veg left from other meals and I
love nothing better than tarting them up in a hot wok with some of
my favourite spices. Indian five-spice is a special blend of cumin,
fenugreek, onion seeds, mustard and fennel seeds, which you can
buy already mixed or you can mix yourself. The trick to a good stir-
fry is to prepare all the vegetables beforehand and then it’s just a
matter of stirring and serving up.

Serves 2 1. Prepare all the vegetables beforehand and this

will seem like the easiest recipe you have ever
PREP 30 MINUTES
cooked.
COOK 10 MINUTES
2. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a wok or a large
2 spring onions , sliced non-stick frying pan. When the oil is really hot, add
diagonally all the vegetables except the garlic, and begin
1 large red chilli , sliced cooking, making sure to stir and keep the
diagonally (seeds in or
out depending on how
vegetables moving. Season to taste.
much heat you like) 3. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons of
1 carrot , thinly sliced oil into a small frying pan and heat on a medium
into rounds
heat. Add the garlic and fry till it is a very golden
1 red pepper , thinly brown.
sliced
100g mangetout or 4. Add the sriracha and fresh coriander to the
sugar snaps vegetables and mix through.
1 courgette , thinly
5. Add the five-spice to the garlic and heat just for a
sliced into matchsticks
few seconds. Be careful not to burn the spices, they
150g tenderstem
broccoli (or standard
need to simply touch the hot oil to release their
broccoli), florets thinly flavours. Pour all over the vegetables and stir
sliced through.
4 cloves of garlic , thinly 6. Serve the stir-fry immediately, while everything is
sliced
still warm.
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper , for
seasoning
3 tablespoons sriracha
sauce
15g fresh coriander
1 teaspoon Indian five-
spice (blend of cumin,
fenugreek, nigella seeds,
mustard seeds and
fennel seeds)
INDIAN FIVE-SPICE VEGETABLE STIR-FRY
 HERBY SKYR CHICKEN SALAD
Skyr is a cultured Icelandic yoghurt that has been around for
thousands of years and is finally starting to make itself known in
British supermarkets. It has the consistency of strained yoghurt but
with a much milder taste. This is why it is so good with chicken, as
it takes other flavours very well and really helps to get that meat
lovely and tender. I have gone to town in this recipe and have added
skyr to the dressing too.

Serves 2–4 1. To butterfly the chicken, lay each breast out flat.
Using a sharp knife, cut into the breast down the
PREP 25 MINUTES
centre. Make sure not to cut all the way through.
COOK 25 MINUTES
Open each breast up like a book and flatten it, using
For the marinated
the palm of your hand.
chicken 2. For the marinade, put the skyr, oil, parsley
2 chicken breasts leaves, ground ginger, lemon juice and a couple of
75g natural skyr good grindings of salt and pepper into a food
1 tablespoon olive oil , processor or a suitable container in which you can
plus extra for cooking use a stick blender. Blend until smooth and green.
a good handful of flat-
leaf parsley leaves 3. Put the butterflied chicken breasts in a freezer
(about 20g) bag or container and add the marinade, mixing well
1 teaspoon ground to cover the chicken. Leave to marinate while you
ginger get on with the salad.
juice of ¼ of a lemon
4. Boil the new potatoes for 15 minutes or until
salt and pepper tender. Grate the courgette with the coarse side of
a box grater. Using a veg peeler, shave the carrot
For the salad
into ribbons. Put the courgette and carrot into a
250g new or baby
potatoes
serving bowl.
1 courgette 5. For the dressing, whisk together the skyr, olive
1 large carrot , peeled oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon of vinegar and ½ teaspoon
of honey, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. If
For the dressing the mixture is a little thick, add water a tablespoon
50g natural skyr at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
 25ml olive oil You may only need one or two spoonfuls. Once
1 teaspoon Dijon combined, stir in the chopped chives. Taste and
mustard adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add a little more
1–1½ teaspoons cider vinegar and/or honey if needed.
vinegar
½ –1 teaspoon runny 6. Halve the cooked potatoes and toss with a little of
honey the dressing. Add to the bowl with the carrot and
salt and pepper courgette.
4 tablespoons finely 7. To cook the chicken, heat a large, heavy-based
chopped fresh chives ,
plus extra for garnish
frying pan over a medium high heat. Add a dash of
oil and then the chicken breasts, opened out as flat
as possible. Cook for 4 minutes, reducing the heat
slightly if the chicken is darkening too quickly. Turn
over and cook for a further 4 minutes.
8. Slice the chicken and place on top of the salad in
the bowl. Drizzle over the rest of the dressing,
garnish with more chopped chives and serve.
 MEATBALL SLIDER SUBS
My 21-year-old brother often sees something he wants to eat on his
travels (and by travels, I mean the distance between uni and the
gym, not to mention his journeys on YouTube) and texts me a
picture asking, ‘Can you make this?’ Anyone who knows me (and he
knows me very well) also knows that I like a challenge. So this
recipe is one of those things he spotted in a sandwich shop window
and challenged me to do better. Soft sub roll, fragrant meatballs,
rich tomato sauce, melted mozzarella. Simple but delicious.
Challenge won, and my brother agrees.

Serves 4 1. Put the mince into a large bowl along with the
salt, chilli flakes, garam masala and crispy onions.
PREP 30 MINUTES
Get your hands in and give it all a good mix.
COOK 45 MINUTES
2. Wet your hands a little with water or grease them
For the meatballs with oil. This will stop the mince sticking to your
900g lamb mince
hands while shaping.
1 teaspoon salt 3. Shape the mince mix into 12 equal balls, making
2 teaspoons chipotle sure to pack it tightly in your hands. Set aside on a
chilli flakes (see tip ) plate, covered, in the fridge while you get started on
2 teaspoons garam the sauce.
masala
4. Put the oil into a large non-stick frying pan (big
5 tablespoons crispy
onions (pots sold in enough to cook all the meatballs at once) and place
supermarkets) on a medium heat.
4 soft sub rolls , to 5. Add the garlic, onion and salt, and cook till the
serve
onion is soft and translucent.
For the sauce 6. Add the water and cook until the onion is very soft
3 tablespoons olive oil and the water has evaporated.
3 cloves of garlic , finely
diced
7. Now add the passata, along with mango powder,
chilli flakes, garam masala and coriander, and cook
1 medium onion ,
chopped for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
1 teaspoon salt
 100ml cold water 8. Add the meatballs to the pan. Don’t be tempted to
350g passata stir or they will break up. Place a lid on the pan and
2 teaspoons mango leave the meatballs to steam on a low to medium
powder (see tip ) heat for about 10 minutes.
2 teaspoons chipotle
chilli flakes (see tip ) 9. Take off the lid and you will see that the meatballs
1 teaspoon garam
look pale on top and will have firmed up, so there is
masala no longer a risk of them breaking. Give them a stir –
15g fresh coriander , they may have stuck slightly on the base, but that
roughly chopped will all add to the flavour. Make sure the balls are
2 mozzarella balls , covered with the sauce. Put the lid back on and
drained and sliced cook for another 15 minutes on a low to medium
5 teaspoons crispy heat.
onions
10. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to
200°C/180°C/gas 6.
11. Split the subs along the edge, making sure to
keep one half attached. Place on a baking tray and
toast in the oven for 5 minutes.
12. Take out and fill the subs with three meatballs
each.
13. Using half a mozzarella ball per sub, place some
sliced mozzarella on top of each meatball and put
back into the oven for another 6–7 minutes, or until
the mozzarella is melting.
14. Take out of the oven and, just before serving,
drizzle some of the leftover sauce into the sub and
sprinkle the fried onions on top. Serve while still
warm.

Tips: If you can’t find chipotle chilli flakes, use

regular chilli flakes or mix 2 teaspoons of regular
chilli flakes with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika for
the smoky flavour.
Mango powder can be found in most Asian
supermarkets, or you can substitute the juice of ½ a
lemon, or 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste.
 BAY-INFUSED COQ AU ‘VIN’ WITH
CREAMY MASH
Just because I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t see why it should deter
me as a cook. Rather than let it put me off my cooking adventures, I
almost always find a substitute. So when I came across this classic
French dish I had to give it a go. The appeal was the beautiful
deeply coloured chicken, and by substituting the wine with grape
juice I still get a vibrant colour and also a gorgeous sweetness. So
never be deterred – there’s always another way if you look for it!

Serves 6 1. Soak the chicken thighs in the grape juice with the
bay leaves overnight for maximum colour. If you are
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS MARINATING short of time, you can do this stage a few hours
COOK 1 HOUR 20
ahead.
MINUTES 2. Take the thigh pieces out and dry them with
kitchen paper. Leave the grape juice and bay leaves
For the coq au vin
to one side for later.
12 skinless chicken
thighs (approx. 1kg) 3. Place a large casserole dish on a medium to high
700ml red grape juice heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted,
5 bay leaves add the chicken pieces and brown them on both
50g unsalted butter sides. Take the chicken out and set aside.
5 cloves of garlic , 4. Add the garlic, onion and salt to the pan and cook
crushed for a few minutes, until the onion has softened.
1 small onion (approx.
150g), finely chopped 5. Now add the mushrooms, chicken stock,
1 teaspoon salt Worcestershire sauce, thyme and the grape juice
and bay leaves you set aside earlier.
350g button
mushrooms 6. Let everything come to the boil, then put the
500ml chicken stock chicken back in, add the lid and cook for 50 minutes
2 tablespoons to 1 hour on a medium heat.
Worcestershire sauce
7. Meanwhile, make the mash. Boil the potatoes in
leaves from 4 sprigs of
thyme cold water until they are tender – this should take
 1½ tablespoons about 15 minutes. Drain, then put them back into the
cornflour
pan to dry out any extra moisture.
For the mash 8. Mash the potatoes using a masher or a potato
1.5kg potatoes , peeled ricer. I love using a ricer because it really does get
and cut into chunks rid of every single lump. A worthwhile investment.
125ml double cream
9. Heat the cream and butter in a pan, until the
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter
cream comes to a quick boil. Add to the mashed
potatoes. Mix in the mayonnaise and seasoning.
5 tablespoons full-fat
mayonnaise 10. Once the chicken is cooked, put the cornflour
½ teaspoon salt into a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of cold water
and mix well. Stir into the pan of chicken and
mushrooms, then cook, covered, on a low heat for
3–4 minutes to thicken the sauce.
11. Serve the coq au ‘vin’ with the mashed potato.
BAY-INFUSED COQ AU ‘VIN’ WITH CREAMY MASH
 YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS SWEET &
SAVOURY
This recipe gives an insight into how my cooking brain works.
Having lived in Yorkshire, married a Yorkshireman and given birth to
three Yorkshire babies, I just can’t get away from all things
Yorkshire. In our house, we like to use Yorkshire puddings as bowls
and fill them with beef and horseradish and some crisp cooked
broccoli or seasonal veg. While I’m about it, I make twelve extra
small Yorkshires and fill them with spoonfuls of canned custard and
strawberry jam, for afters! The jam in this recipe requires no boiling,
just a tiny bit of patience to let the magic of the dried basil seeds
happen. If you can’t find dried basil seeds, chia seeds also work.) So
let me introduce you to my showstopper Yorkshire puddings, dinner
and dessert style.

Makes 4 savoury and 1. The Yorkshire pudding batter and the jam both
12 sweet benefit from being made early and left overnight.
PREP 50 MINUTES, You can also make the beef and horseradish a day
PLUS CHILLING in advance if you want, and then reheat it when you
COOK 2 HOURS need it (but don’t stir the parsley through until just
before serving).
For the Yorkshire
puddings 2. For the batter, place the sifted flour in a large
140g plain flour , sifted
mixing bowl, add the eggs and mix to a stiff batter.
Now pour in the milk slowly, whisking all the time
4 large eggs
until it has been incorporated and the mixture is free
200ml whole milk
of any lumps. Season, stir, then transfer the mixture
a pinch of salt to a large jug, cover with cling film and leave in the
about 120ml sunflower fridge overnight. Allowing the batter to chill lets any
oil
air bubbles settle, and when the cold batter
For the sweet puds
eventually comes into contact with the hot oil this
helps produce a fast rise.
150g strawberries ,
hulled and halved 3. Now for the jam. Blitz the strawberries in a
blender or with a hand-held blender to get a smooth
4 teaspoon dried basil paste. Add the dried basil or chia seeds and mix
seeds or chia seeds
well. You will see the mixture instantly begin to
1 x 400g tin of ready- thicken and take on a jam-like texture. Transfer to a
made custard
small bowl, cover and put into the fridge to chill.
fresh strawberries , to
garnish (optional) 4. The following day (or you can also do it in
squirty cream , to advance if you want), make the beef and
garnish (optional) horseradish. Put the beef into a bowl and season.
Add the flour and mix so all the beef is coated. Put 1
For the beef puds
tablespoon of the oil into a large non-stick pan on a
450g braising steak or medium to high heat and brown the beef in three
skirt , cut into 2½ cm
pieces batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pan.
salt and pepper , for
You’re not cooking the beef, you’re just getting a
seasoning golden colour and crust on the meat. Set aside.
2 tablespoons plain 5. Add another glug of oil to the pan. Add the garlic,
flour
onion, salt, nutmeg and yeast extract, and cook
4 tablespoons olive oil gently till the onions are browned and really soft.
3 cloves of garlic , Add the potatoes and mushrooms and cook for
crushed and chopped
another 5 minutes, just to get a bit of colour on the
1 medium onion , vegetables.
chopped
1 teaspoon salt 6. Return the meat to the pan. Add the stock and
½ teaspoon ground bring the whole thing to a rapid boil, then reduce the
nutmeg heat, cover and simmer until the mixture has
1 teaspoon yeast thickened and the meat is tender (about 1 hour 15
extract minutes). If the sauce is thin, lift out the meat and
10 baby potatoes , veg, bubble the sauce until thickened and reduced,
halved (about 300g) then stir the meat and vegetables back in. Add the
250g chestnut horseradish and chopped parsley right at the end
mushrooms , whole and mix it through.
500ml beef stock
7. Now it’s time to cook the Yorkshires. Preheat the
3 tablespoons
horseradish
oven to 230°C/210° fan/gas 8. Have two baking
trays ready, a four-hole Yorkshire pudding tray for
15g fresh flat-leaf
parsley , roughly the large ones and a twelve-hole bun tin for the
chopped small ones. Pour sunflower oil into the base of each
1 large head of broccoli cavity, about 2–3 teaspoons in each large hole and 1
, broken into florets teaspoon in each small one, so the bases are fully
covered.
8. Put the trays into the oven for about 10 minutes,
until the oil is really hot and begins to smoke a little.
9. Take the batter out of the fridge (and also take
out the jam at this point, so it has time to come up to
room temperature). Take the trays out of the oven,
pour the batter straight on top of the oil, to come
about two-thirds of the way up the holes, and
immediately put back into the oven. Don’t get
distracted at this point, as timing is absolutely key to
a successful Yorkshire pudding. The small
Yorkshires will need about 15 minutes and the large
ones need about 20 minutes. Be sure not to open
the oven until you’re ready to get the small ones out.
Once baked, set aside, leaving them in the tray.
10. Meanwhile, put the broccoli florets into a
microwaveable dish, add 2 tablespoons of water
and cover with cling film. Microwave for 5 minutes
on high – this will lightly steam the broccoli without
overcooking. Take off the cling film and season with
a little salt and pepper.
11. Divide the beef between the four large
Yorkshires, along with the broccoli, and serve warm.
12. Leave the twelve small Yorkshires to cool
completely. After you have finished your main
course, top the mini Yorkshires with spoonfuls of
custard and strawberry jam. I like to serve them with
fresh strawberries and squirty cream.
 Friends Over
There’s nothing like a meal together for saying thank you, I’ve missed you,
or I just want to see your face. Between working and looking after the
children and the house, I don’t often get lots of time to cook or entertain.
Luckily my work involves a lot of recipe testing and recipe tasting, so
nobody at home ever really misses out on eating by the truckload. We eat
all day, every day! But cooking with purpose has a very different feel to it.
Especially if it’s cooking with purpose and people in mind. I have the ability
to turn a meeting at home into a three-course dinner party. These are
some of my favourite recipes to feed a crowd of family or friends, or both.
My crowds often involve more children than adults, so these recipes
please everyone around the table.
 CARAMELIZED ONION SOUP WITH
CAYENNE CROUTONS
Soups don’t always have to come out of a tin (not that there is
anything wrong with that), and they sure don’t need to be tricky.
Taking a simple ingredient like onion and enhancing it by cooking it
gently is enough to create a stunning rich soup that’s almost as
easy as opening a can. Not as easy, but almost as easy. And
delicious topped with these cayenne croutons.

Serves 4 1. Put a large pan on a medium heat and add the

butter. Once it’s hot, add the crushed garlic and
PREP 30 MINUTES
sliced onions. Cook for about 15–20 minutes, until
COOK 1 HOUR
the onions have softened significantly and reduced
For the onion soup
down completely.
100g unsalted butter 2. Add the salt and sugar and 100ml of the stock
3 cloves of garlic , and allow it all to cook for another 10 minutes. The
crushed onions should be a nice golden brown.
3 medium onions
(approx. 450g), thinly
3. Now add the cornflour mixture, along with the rest
sliced of the stock. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer
¼ teaspoon salt gently for 30 minutes.
2 teaspoons light 4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C
brown sugar fan/gas 5.
1 litre vegetable stock
5. Lay the bread on a baking tray. Mix the cayenne
2 tablespoons cornflour
(mixed with 4 and salt with the oil. Brush both sides of the bread
tablespoons cold water) with the oil/cayenne mix and toast in the oven for 20
6 sprigs of lemon thyme minutes, making sure to turn the slices halfway.
, leaves picked Bake until the bread is very crisp and dry.
For the croutons 6. Once the onion soup is ready, set aside for 10
minutes and then, using a stick blender, blitz it until
2 slices of white bread
it’s smooth.
½ –1 teaspoon cayenne
pepper , depending on
how hot you like it
 ¼ teaspoon fine salt 7. Pour into individual bowls, sprinkle with the thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil leaves and break shards of the cayenne croutons on
top.
CARAMELIZED ONION SOUP WITH CAYENNE CROUTONS
 CARROT, CUMIN & CORIANDER SOUP
Making soup wasn’t something that I used to venture into much. I
was happy warming up tinned tomato soup in my milk pan and
eating it with crusty bread. Until one day I decided to go off-piste
and buy a fancy gourmet carrot and coriander soup, and, without
revealing the brand, it was utterly horrific. I tried to suppress my
annoyance by making my own, much tastier version. Don’t get me
wrong, I still love tomato soup out of a tin, but I like making this
recipe from scratch.

Serves 4 1. Find a large pan for the soup. Place it on a

medium heat and add the coriander and cumin
PREP 20 MINUTES
seeds. Stir the seeds and wait to hear some
COOK 50 MINUTES
popping. As soon as you hear it, add the oil to the
1 tablespoon coriander
pan.
seeds 2. Now add the onion and salt and cook gently for 5
1 tablespoon cumin minutes.
seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil 3. Add the carrots and potato and cook for 10
1 onion (approx. 150g),
minutes on a medium to high heat.
chopped ½ teaspoon 4. Add the stock and allow the whole lot to simmer
salt
for 30 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
450g carrots , skins
kept on, grated 5. Using a stick blender, blitz to a smooth soup.
1 potato (approx. 150g),
6. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve.
peeled and grated
1 litre vegetable stock
a large handful of fresh
coriander (approx. 30g),
chopped
 RICE GINGER FEETA WITH SWEET
MANGO PICKLE
These are classic Bangladeshi fritters that are eaten with a cup of
tea. They are made of steamed ginger and rice flour, and fried for a
crisp exterior and soft inside. I also love them as a starter. They are
simple, quick to make, and freeze well for whenever you need
something in a hurry. They work well on their own but taste even
better with a sweet mango pickle.

Serves 4 (makes 16) 1. Put the water into a pan with the salt, ginger and
turmeric. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then turn
PREP 20 MINUTES
down to a gentle simmer. Mix in the rice flour.
COOK 50 MINUTES
2. Turn the heat off and keep mixing to get rid of as
400ml water many lumps as possible.
1 teaspoon salt
3. Put the lid on the pan and leave to steam for 30
100g fresh ginger , minutes, still with the heat turned off.
peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ground 4. Dust your work surface with rice flour, then take
turmeric the dough out of the pan and leave on the work
200g rice flour , plus surface for 15 minutes to cool before handling.
extra for dusting
5. Dust your hands with rice flour and knead the
1.5 litres oil , for frying
dough to a smooth consistency. It will be quite sticky
sweet mango pickle ,
at first, so be sure to use plenty of flour.
to serve
6. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about
½ cm thick, then, using a floured 5cm cutter, cut out
rounds. Roll out the offcuts and repeat until all the
dough has been used up.
7. Heat the oil in a large deep pan. When it’s hot
(180°C, if you happen to have a cooking
thermometer), put in a few of the dough pieces at a
time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry
them for 3–4 minutes.
8. Drain on kitchen paper, then fry the rest in
batches.
9. Serve with sweet mango pickle.
 CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON MAYO
I love creating little bites to eat. It’s a perfect way of sharing and
enjoying food together. When I first started to cook with crab, and
quite excitedly declared this to my grandmother, she was most
appalled. She said, ‘We only eat fish, meat and chicken and that’s it.
Why would you eat a crab?’ So it’s safe to say she wouldn’t try my
crab cakes, but everyone else did. If you’re not a fan of crab, you
can make these substituting the same amount of fish for the crab.
But personally, I love the sweetness of the crab paired with this
lemon mayo dip.

Serves 8 (makes 24) 1. Put the crushed ginger, chopped onion, coriander,
chilli, salt, mashed potato, crabmeat and egg into a
PREP 20 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING large bowl. Get your hands in and give it a good mix,
COOK 20 MINUTES
making sure it is all incorporated really well.
2. Divide the mixture into 24 equal balls, then wet
For the crab cakes your hands and shape into flat round patties.
20g fresh ginger ,
peeled and crushed, 3. Dust each crab cake with a light coating of flour.
either shop-bought or Place on a tray and leave to chill in the fridge for 15
use a pestle and mortar minutes.
1 small red onion
(approx. 100g), finely 4. Put some oil into a pan on a medium heat and
chopped add the crab cakes, making sure not to overcrowd
a large handful of fresh the pan. Fry them in batches, making sure to wipe
coriander (approx. 30g), out the oil and any burnt bits in the pan and adding
chopped
fresh oil each time.
1 small red chilli , finely
chopped (deseed if you 5. Fry the crab cakes for approximately 3 minutes
want it less spicy) on each side, or until they are golden brown on both
1 teaspoon salt sides.
250g mashed potato , 6. For the lemon mayo dip, put the mayo, lemon
cooled (see tip )
zest and juice, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix.
850g tinned or fresh
crabmeat (mix of brown
and white), excess
moisture squeezed out
 1 large egg , lightly Tip: To make 250g of mash from scratch, cook 1
beaten
large (300g) potato in the microwave for 10–15
100g plain flour , for minutes in 5-minute bursts, then peel and mash the
dusting
flesh.
about 50ml olive oil , for
frying

For the lemon mayo

dip
6 tablespoons (about
90g) mayonnaise
zest and juice of 1
lemon
salt and pepper , for
seasoning
CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON MAYO
 AUBERGINE PAKORAS WITH SPICED
KETCHUP
These are a firm favourite during the month of Ramadan, when we
fast from the point of the sun rising until it sets in the evening. That
can last up to 18 hours. By which point, your heart desires nothing
but fried food, creamy desserts and mountains of carbs. These
pakoras are a favourite of my dad and sister, and we make them
especially for them. The batter can be used to coat an array of
vegetables: aubergine is my favourite, but you can dabble with
potatoes, okra, cauliflower and even kale.

Serves 4 (makes 18– 1. Put the chickpea flour, salt, baking powder,
20) coriander, paprika, garlic powder and cumin into a
PREP 25 MINUTES bowl and mix with a whisk. Add the water and mix to
COOK 15–20
a smooth paste.
MINUTES 2. Heat the oil to 150°C, if you have a thermometer.
If not, drop in a small bit of batter – if it sizzles and
For the pakoras
rises to the top, the oil is ready to start frying with.
125g chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt 3. Dip slices of aubergine into the batter and cover
1 teaspoon baking
completely, then drop into the oil. Fry in batches for
powder 3–4 minutes, or until they are golden brown, then put
1 teaspoon ground them on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to
coriander mop up any oil.
1 teaspoon paprika 4. To make the sauce, put the ketchup, water, chilli,
1 teaspoon garlic salt and coriander into a food processor and blitz to
powder
a smooth paste. Transfer to a small serving bowl
1 teaspoon ground and mix in the chopped onion. Serve with the
cumin
pakoras, for dipping.
140ml water
1.5 litres vegetable oil ,
for frying
2 aubergines (each
approx. 300g), cut
lengthways into ½ cm
 thick slices

For the spiced

ketchup
5 tablespoons (approx.
75g) tomato ketchup
5 tablespoons (75ml)
water
1 fresh green chilli
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh coriander
½ red onion (approx.
50g), finely chopped
AUBERGINE PAKORAS WITH SPICED KETCHUP
 CURRY, CARROT & PARSNIP BHAJIS
WITH CORIANDER & CHILLI CHUTNEY
I am an over-zealous carrot buyer. I buy far more than I need. Week
in, week out, I never learn. Because I am always left with too many
carrots, it always results in an end-of-week carrot cake, which may
sound like a good thing but, what with all the other cakes and
desserts flying about in our house, isn’t always welcome! So I’ve
devised a few recipes for using up my root veg at the end of the
week in ways that aren’t carrot cakes. Here I fry my carrots instead.

Serves 4 (makes 20) 1. Put the carrots, parsnips, chickpea flour, cumin,
curry powder, coriander and salt into a large bowl
PREP 30 MINUTES
and mix with your hands to release some of the
COOK 20 MINUTES
moisture from the carrots and parsnips.
For the bhajis 2. Add the eggs and mix in well. The mixture should
150g carrots , grated be like a thick batter. Almost like an uncooked carrot
150g parsnips , grated cake batter.
120g chickpea flour 3. Heat the oil to 150°C, if you have a thermometer.
1 teaspoon ground If you don’t, you will know the oil is ready if you drop
cumin in a little batter and it sizzles and comes to the top.
1 teaspoon curry
powder 4. Working in batches, drop heaped teaspoons of
1 teaspoon ground the batter into the oil and cook for 3–4 minutes,
coriander making sure to turn the bhajis all the time so they
1 teaspoon salt are an even golden colour.
2 medium eggs 5. Drain on kitchen paper while you cook the rest.
1.5–2 litres vegetable
oil , for frying 6. To make the chutney, put the coriander, chillies,
lemon juice, oil, salt and sugar into a food processor
For the chutney and blitz to a smooth paste. Serve with the bhajis.
a large handful of fresh
coriander (approx. 50g)
3 fresh green chillies
Tip: These can be cooled, placed in a ziplock bag
and frozen. Reheat in a warm oven.
3 tablespoons lemon
juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caster
sugar
CURRY, CARROT & PARSNIP BHAJIS WITH CORIANDER & CHILLI CHUTNEY
 GOAT’S CHEESE & RED PEPPER
GALETTES
A galette is like an open pie, a tart or a pizza – whichever you like.
Much as I love the surprise of seeing the inside of a pie when it is
cut or spooned, I also like seeing the beautiful fillings displayed in
all their glory. In these individual galettes, the vibrant and sweet
cooked red peppers work well with the salty goat’s cheese. (I still
can’t convince my children that goat’s cheese doesn’t taste of goat,
nor can I convince my husband either. Well, never mind, all four for
me, in that case!)

Serves 4 1. Put the flour into a bowl. Add the yeast on one
side of the bowl and the salt on the other. Add the
PREP 40 MINUTES,
PLUS RESTING sugar and give it all a quick mix.
COOK 45 MINUTES 2. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and
water. Using a palette knife, bring the liquids
For the base together with the dry ingredients.
300g strong bread
flour , plus extra for 3. The mixture will be quite wet, so dust the work
dusting surface with flour and knead the dough for 5 minutes
7g fast-action yeast until the dough is smooth. Put it back into the bowl,
1 teaspoon salt cover with cling film, and leave on the worktop.
1 teaspoon caster 4. Meanwhile, put the oil and garlic into a pan on a
sugar
medium heat. Cook the garlic for a minute, then add
3 tablespoons olive oil the onions and salt. Cook until the onions are totally
200ml warm water soft, which can take about 10 minutes.
For the filling 5. Now add the peppers and passata and cook for
3 tablespoons olive oil another 15–20 minutes, until the peppers have
2 cloves of garlic ,
softened completely. Set aside and leave to cool.
crushed 6. Preheat the oven to 220°C/220°C fan/gas 7 and
1 small onion (approx. line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
100g), chopped
½ teaspoon salt
 2 large red peppers 7. Take the dough out of the bowl. Knead for a
(approx. 400g), thinly
sliced
minute, then cut it into four equal pieces. On a
floured surface, roll out each piece of dough as
300ml passata
thinly as possible, to a 23cm circle. Place the circles
250g goat’s cheese ,
cut into chunks
of dough on the prepared trays.
20g garlic butter , 8. Spread the red pepper mix over each circle,
melted (or normal salted making sure to leave 5cm of the pastry exposed
butter)
around the edge. Dot the goat’s cheese all over.
rocket leaves and
olive oil , for dressing 9. Lift the edges of the pastry and fold over, not in a
neat fashion, just roughly. Brush with the melted
garlic butter and bake in the oven for 12–14 minutes.
10. Once baked, drizzle the galettes with olive oil
and garnish the top with rocket leaves.
GOAT’S CHEESE & RED PEPPER GALETTES
 CHEESE SCONES WITH CHIVE BUTTER
However you like to pronounce them, scones were one of the first
things that I ever baked. I think they are still a staple in teaching
kids how to bake, as my nephew came home with these beauties a
few years ago when he started to cook at school. I have made so
many variations on the classic and there is a good reason for that:
they are simple, easy and so versatile. These cheese ones are
perfect to start or end a meal with. See, I told you they were
versatile. Now all I have to do is find a way of making them
acceptable to keep in my gym bag.

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Line

a baking tray with baking paper.
PREP 30 MINUTES
COOK 15 MINUTES 2. Put the flours, onion salt and butter into a large
bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until it
For the scones has mixed in well and created a breadcrumb texture.
175g self-raising flour
3. Add the cheese and mix through. Make a well in
50g strong white flour , the centre and add the milk. Mix with a palette knife,
plus extra for dusting
then use your hands to bring the dough together. Be
¼ teaspoon onion salt
careful not to knead, or the dough will become
55g unsalted butter tough.
25g red Leicester
cheese , grated 4. Dust your worktop with flour and push the dough
150ml whole milk , plus out to a thickness of about 2cm.
2–3 tablespoons milk, for
5. Using a 5cm cutter, using one downward motion,
glazing
cut out the scones and lay them on the tray. Bring
For the chive butter the offcuts together, being careful not to knead. Cut
80g unsalted butter , out as many circles as you can until you run out of
softened dough.
1 teaspoon rock salt 6. Brush the tops with milk and bake for 12–15
20g fresh chives , finely minutes, until the scones are golden and well risen.
chopped
7. To make the chive butter, mix the softened butter
with the salt and chives. Lay out a piece of cling film
and tip out the butter on to it. Tease the cling film so
the butter makes a sausage shape. Wrap and twist
the ends, then refrigerate and serve in slices with
the scones.
CHEESE SCONES WITH CHIVE BUTTER
 APPLE, WALNUT & CORIANDER SALAD
WITH BURNT GARLIC DRESSING
I love a simple salad to start a meal, so I can nosedive straight into
dinner and then dessert. It’s a lovely way of balancing a meal. I also
think it’s nice to have a salad that doesn’t scream out diet or healthy
eating. In this one, the tart apple complements the crunch of the
nuts and the aroma of the burnt garlic dressing. It’s a sophisticated
yet not very complicated salad that will get your mates thinking
you’ve tried really hard.

Serves 4 1. Prepare the apple, sprinkle the lemon juice on top

and stir the juice in. This will stop the apple going
PREP 15 MINUTES
brown.
COOK 5 MINUTES
2. Put the rocket and coriander leaves into a large
For the salad bowl. Add the apples and walnuts and toss through.
2 Granny Smith apples
, cored, quartered and
3. To prepare the dressing, burn the garlic by
thinly sliced placing it on the edge of a small gas hob and turning
2 tablespoons lemon the flame on low so it can catch the edges and turn
juice the garlic completely black. Alternatively, use a
90g rocket leaves blowtorch and burn the garlic completely.
a large handful of fresh 4. Keeping the charred skins on, chop the garlic as
coriander leaves
(approx. 25g)
fine as you can possibly get it. Then, using the back
of a knife, crush the chopped garlic to release the
100g toasted walnuts ,
roughly chopped flavour. Put it into a jar with a lid, then add the salt,
oil, vinegar and mayonnaise. Put the lid on and give
For the dressing it a good shake.
3 cloves of garlic , not 5. Dress your salad with as much or as little
peeled
dressing as you like. Whatever is left over can be
a large pinch of salt
kept in the fridge for another salad.
150ml olive oil
50ml balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon
mayonnaise
APPLE, WALNUT & CORIANDER SALAD WITH BURNT GARLIC DRESSING
 TOFU COCONUT KATSU CURRY
Tofu comes in so many different varieties. As I travel, as I read, as I
learn about new cuisines, I see how versatile this wonderful
ingredient can be. It is a great bearer of flavour and is beautiful
stewed, fried, smoked or cooked. It is a thing of beauty. I never tell
anyone beforehand when I’m cooking them tofu because I don’t like
the preconceived notion that it isn’t delicious. I love their reaction
when they taste it and then I tell them that it’s tofu.

Serves 4 1. Place a big pan on a medium heat and add the

oil. Add the garlic, onion, salt and brown sugar and
PREP 30 MINUTES
cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
COOK 1 HOUR 10
MINUTES 2. Add the carrots, curry powder, garam masala and
desiccated coconut and cook for 10 minutes. Add
For the sauce the flour and stir in for a minute.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3. Now add the hot stock and simmer for 30
5 cloves of garlic ,
crushed minutes, until the carrots are soft.
1 onion (approx. 100g), 4. Using a stick blender, blitz the sauce, then strain it
chopped through a sieve to remove any lumps. Put back in
1 teaspoon salt the pan and leave on a very low heat.
2 tablespoons brown
sugar (light or dark) 5. Put the rice into a medium pan with the water and
bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. This takes
2 carrots (approx.
200g), peeled and about 5 minutes.
chopped
6. Once all the water has evaporated (about 5–10
1 tablespoon curry
minutes), turn the heat down, put the lid on and let
powder
the rice steam. It needs about another 10 minutes.
1 tablespoon garam
masala 7. Season the tofu and dip it first into the beaten egg
2 tablespoons and then into the breadcrumbs.
desiccated coconut
8. Place a non-stick pan on a medium heat and add
2 tablespoons plain
flour the oil. Fry the tofu for 3 minutes on each side, until
600ml vegetable stock
golden and crisp.
, hot
3 spring onions , sliced 9. Serve the rice topped with slices of crisp tofu.
thinly
Pour over the hot katsu sauce, and sprinkle with the
For the rice
spring onions.
375g basmati rice
830ml water Tip: This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce
(about 800ml). Any leftovers will keep in the fridge
For the tofu
for a couple of days, or can be frozen for up to a
4 pieces (100g each) of month.
tofu
salt , for seasoning
1 large egg , beaten
50g panko
breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons olive oil
TOFU COCONUT KATSU CURRY
 CHICKEN & CHORIZO PAELLA
I love any dish that involves maximum flavour and minimum
washing up. This is one of those dishes. Even better, you can
change it around quite simply with the protein of your choice. I
enjoy this combination of spicy chorizo and chicken with the slowly
cooked rice.

Serves 4 1. Heat a large flat pan to a medium heat. Add 2

tablespoons of oil and, once it’s hot, add the diced
PREP 20 MINUTES
chorizo and chicken thighs. Cook for 10 minutes,
COOK 45 MINUTES
until all the chicken is cooked through.
5 tablespoons olive oil 2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chorizo and
200g chorizo , cubed chicken from the pan and keep the pan on the heat.
200g skinless boneless Add the rest of the oil, along with the garlic, onions
chicken thighs , diced and salt, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions
2 cloves of garlic , are soft. Now add the rice and cook over a high heat
crushed for 2 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom, as
1 large onion (approx. all of that contains flavour.
200g), chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3. Add the smoked paprika and chopped tomatoes
and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the tomatoes
300g paella rice
have softened.
1 teaspoon smoked
paprika 4. Add all the stock and cook on a high heat with the
4 tomatoes (approx. lid off, stirring occasionally. Once the moisture has
400g), chopped almost completely evaporated (this takes about 12
900ml chicken stock , minutes), add the chicken and chorizo and stir
hot through. Cook for 10 minutes on a low heat.
a large handful of fresh
parsley (30g), chopped 5. Sprinkle over the parsley and add the lemon
1 lemon , cut into wedges to serve.
wedges
CHICKEN & CHORIZO PAELLA
JERK HADDOCK & JOLLOF RICE SALAD
The first time I ate Caribbean food was a lucky accident. I found
myself out and about with kids that needed feeding. They would
have eaten the leather off their shoes if I hadn’t found something
fast. I was run ragged, lugging three enormous bags and three
moody children in the rain, so when I spotted a little Caribbean café
on the corner, there was no hesitating, though the smells alone
would have been enough to entice me in. We ordered far more food
than planned and came back out with very happy stomachs! We then
visited that cafe every week for a long time afterwards, hungry for
more. I have tried using the same flavours in my kitchen and have
found many variations that work, such as this delicious fish.

Serves 4 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

PREP 30 MINUTES 2. Mix all the dried spices and salt in a bowl, stir in
COOK 25 MINUTES the flour, and transfer to a jar.
3. Put the haddock fillets on a large baking tray and
For the jerk haddock
sprinkle over 3 tablespoons of the jerk seasoning.
2 tablespoons each of
ground cinnamon,
Put the remainder away for another day.
ground black pepper, 4. Pour the oil over the fish, then rub in the oil and
dried thyme, ground
allspice and paprika spices.
1 teaspoon grated 5. Place in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes.
nutmeg
6. To make the jollof salad, put the black and white
1 teaspoon salt
rice into a bowl. Add the onion, pepper, tomatoes,
2 tablespoons plain
flour
ginger, Scotch bonnet and olive oil, season to taste
4 x 200g haddock fillets
and mix well.
5 tablespoons olive oil 7. Serve the fish with the salad alongside.

For the jollof rice

125g each of cold
cooked white rice and
black rice (from
precooked pouches)
1 red onion , chopped
1 large red pepper ,
diced
2 large tomatoes
(approx. 200g),
deseeded and chopped
10g fresh ginger ,
peeled and finely
chopped
2 thin slices of Scotch
bonnet chilli , finely
chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt , for seasoning
JERK HADDOCK & JOLLOF RICE SALAD
 WHOLE BAKED FISH WITH POTATOES,
LEMON & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
I grew up eating a lot of fish, as it’s a staple of any Bangladeshi
home. My mother would use all kinds of exotic fish that were
cooked and preserved in various complicated ways before even
making it into the stewing pot. But my travels round Britain have
shown me fish in a different light, and I’ve discovered much simpler
and far quicker ways of cooking it. It’s given me a whole new
appreciation of its sweet and subtle flavours. This recipe looks and
sounds impressive, but is actually very straightforward, with the
whole fish baked gently on a bed of potatoes and sun-dried
tomatoes. The addition of sliced lemons and sugar adds loads of
delicious flavour to the flesh and juices.

Serves 4 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and

line a large baking dish or roasting tin with baking
PREP 15 MINUTES
paper.
COOK 40 MINUTES
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes or
750g new potatoes until just becoming tender. Drain, then slice them
1 small unwaxed lemon lengthways into about ½ cm thick slices. Place them
, sliced in the lined dish or tin and mix in the sliced lemon
1 tablespoon black and the onion seeds.
onion seeds
1 x 280g jar of sun-
3. Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from their oil,
dried tomatoes in oil reserving the oil, and roughly chop. Mix the
salt and pepper , for tomatoes into the potatoes, along with 3
seasoning tablespoons of the reserved oil. Season with salt
2 teaspoons caster and pepper and mix in the sugar.
sugar
4. Season the fish inside and out and place half the
2 x 400–500g whole
herbs inside each one. (If using Dover sole, lay the
fish , such as sea bass,
sea trout or Dover sole, herbs between the fish and the potatoes.) Place the
scaled and gutted. fish on top of the potatoes and drizzle over a couple
a small bunch of fresh of tablespoons of the remaining sun-dried tomato oil.
parsley
a small bunch of fresh 5. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the fish is just
lemon thyme
cooked through and the potatoes are crisping up.
Remove from the oven, and serve.
 GOAT TAGINE WITH ORZO & DATES
Where food is concerned, I’m not a massive follower of rules, and I
love nothing more than recipes where different worlds collide,
especially if they can be cooked in one pot. Here the flavours of a
Moroccan tagine are filled out with Italian orzo, while the star of the
show is goat, a meat not eaten often enough in my opinion, but one
which is gradually becoming more common in Britain. Goat was
always my grandfather’s meat of choice, so this is for him. I don’t
know what he would have thought of my recipe, but I do know he
would have been proud to see me using goat meat. Its flavour works
well with sweet dates, while the orzo and crisp pitta make this a
really hearty meal.

Serves 4 1. Make slits in the base and tops of the tomatoes,

place them in a bowl, fill with boiling water and cover
PREP 20 MINUTES
with cling film.
COOK 1 HOUR 45
MINUTES 2. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a large non-stick pan
and place on a medium heat. Add the goat chunks in
6 tomatoes (about three batches and cook the meat until it’s browned
525g)
all over, then remove from the pan and set aside.
4 tablespoons olive oil
800g boneless goat 3. Add another tablespoon of oil if the pan is dry,
meat (leg is ideal), cut then add the garlic, onion and salt and cook for a
into small chunks few minutes, till the onions have softened. Add the
2 cloves of garlic , cinnamon, ginger and paprika, and cook gently,
crushed and finely keeping the heat low so the spices don’t burn. Put
chopped
the goat back into the pan and stir to combine.
1 medium onion , finely
chopped 4. Drain the tomatoes and peel away the skins.
1 teaspoon salt Chop the tomato flesh, then add all the tomatoes,
1 teaspoon ground including the juices, to the spice mix along with the
cinnamon water and tomato paste, and cook, covered, on a
1 teaspoon ground medium heat for 1 hour.
ginger
5. Now add the dates, orzo and stock, then cook
1 teaspoon paprika
gently, without the lid (to help the sauce thicken), for
 50ml water another 30 minutes on a medium heat. Make sure to
1 tablespoon tomato stir occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the
paste base of the pan.
125g pitted dates , kept
whole 6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C
100g orzo pasta fan/gas 6.
200ml chicken stock 7. Brush the pitta breads with the melted butter and
4 pitta breads , sliced season with rock salt. Lay them flat on a baking tray
into 2½ cm strips and bake for 20 minutes, turning them over after 10.
50g butter , melted
8. Take the tagine off the heat and stir in the
rock salt , for seasoning
coriander and parsley. Serve with the crisp pitta
a large handful of fresh breads.
coriander and parsley ,
chopped
 HAGGIS TARTE TATIN
I was brought up on traditional Bangladeshi food, and my dad made
sure to teach us about where meat came from and encouraged us to
eat every possible part of the animal without being squeamish, ever!
So I am not averse to the idea of eating haggis, and was curious to
find a way to use this Scottish ingredient in my cooking. I do like to
break the rules, though, so I’ve decided to use a vegetarian version
of haggis, which means that those who are squeamish – or
vegetarian – can still enjoy this recipe. A tarte tatin is simply a tart
made upside down – this one has a simple pastry base topped with
haggis and sweet shallots. It’s something a bit different, and is
delicious served with a creamy garlic dip and a simple green salad.

Serves 4 1. Unroll your puff pastry on a board and place a

20cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan upside down on
PREP 20 MINUTES
top of it. Cut out a circle, using the pan as a guide
COOK 50 MINUTES
and making your circle about 2½ cm bigger. Put the
320g ready-rolled puff
pastry back on the paper it was wrapped in and
pastry leave to chill in the fridge.
3 small to medium 2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
banana shallots , peeled
and cut in half 3. Make sure the 6 shallot halves will fit neatly into
lengthways your frying pan. Trim the non-root ends if necessary
3 tablespoons olive oil to make them fit together into a star shape, fanning
250g vegetarian out from the middle of the pan to look like the petals
haggis of a flower. Don’t leave them in the pan at this stage
2 tablespoons unsalted – set them aside.
butter
½ teaspoon salt 4. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into the frying pan and
place on a medium heat. Add the crumbled haggis
1 tablespoon dark
brown sugar and cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes,
3 tablespoons balsamic until slightly crispy. Remove and place in a bowl.
vinegar
5. Add the remaining oil and the butter to the pan,
1 egg , lightly beaten and once the butter has melted add the shallots, cut
side down, and cook over a low to medium heat for
1 sprig of fresh thyme , about 15 minutes, until they have softened but are
leaves picked
still holding their shape. Every now and again, spoon
3 or 4 fresh chive a little of the butter and oil over the tops of the
flowers , to garnish
(optional) shallots as they cook.
green salad , to serve 6. Add the salt, sugar and balsamic and cook for 10
minutes on a low to medium heat, until the shallots
For the dip are sticky and the sugar and vinegar have turned
100g full-fat soft cheese into a sweet caramel.
50g Greek yoghurt
7. With the shallots arranged in their star shape,
salt and pepper , for
seasoning
return the haggis to the pan, using it to fill the gaps
between the shallots, then take the pan off the heat.
1 large handful of fresh
chives , finely chopped 8. Take your pastry circle out of the fridge and place
it on top of the shallot and haggis mixture. The circle
will be bigger than the pan, so tuck the edges down
the sides and under the mixture. It doesn’t have to
be perfect – the rustic nature is what makes it look
good when you turn it out.
9. Brush all over the pastry with the beaten egg,
then, using a sharp knife, prick 5 or 6 holes in the
pastry. This will allow the steam to release itself and
the pastry to puff up. Bake in the oven for 20–25
minutes.
10. Meanwhile, make the dip by mixing all the
ingredients together in a small bowl.
11. As soon as the tart is cooked, turn it out of the
pan immediately on to a plate so that the pastry lid
now becomes the base. Garnish with the thyme
leaves, and with the chive flowers separated into
smaller buds, and serve with the dip and a green
salad.
 BOLOGNESE PIE
I love a hybrid bake. The kind that takes the elements of one dish
but presents them differently. They do say, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix
it,’ but I like to swap things around and see how treating ingredients
differently can change, enhance or amplify a dish’s original flavour
and texture. My bolognese pie fuses two classics – spaghetti and
pie – and creates a crust using the spaghetti with bolognese as the
filling. It ain’t broke, it didn’t need fixing, but I did it anyway.

Serves 6–8 1. For the bolognese, place a large sauté pan on a

medium heat. Add the oil and the chopped rashers
PREP 40 MINUTES
and cook for about 5 minutes, until the rashers are
COOK 1 HOUR 30
MINUTES
crisp.
2. Add the garlic, onions, salt, carrots and celery
For the bolognese and cook for another 5 minutes.
4 tablespoons olive oil
3. Add the paprika, cumin and beef mince and cook
4 rashers (bacon or
halal turkey ), chopped until the mince is brown and most of the liquid has
2 cloves of garlic , finely
evaporated. This should take about 15 minutes.
chopped 4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and 300ml of
2 onions , diced water and cook for 30 minutes on a low to medium
1 teaspoon salt heat, until the bolognese sauce has thickened.
2 carrots (approx.
5. While the sauce is simmering, put the butter into a
200g), peeled and diced
medium pan on a medium heat and let it melt.
2 celery sticks (approx.
150g), diced 6. Stir in the flour to create a roux, then cook for 1
1 teaspoon paprika minute. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, making
1 tablespoon ground sure to whisk continuously. You either need a
cumin second person helping or a very reliable jug that
500g beef mince won’t spill. I had neither, and an enormous clean-up
2 x 400g tins of job after.
chopped tomatoes
7. Once all the milk is added, keep whisking until the
200g Cheddar cheese,
grated
sauce has thickened – this can take about 10
minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper,
For the spaghetti crust then take off the heat. Stir in the mature Cheddar.
25g unsalted butter
8. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a
25g plain flour
large pinch of salt. Cook the spaghetti according to
600ml whole milk , hot the packet instructions, then drain it and put back
salt and pepper , for into the pan. Stir in the cheese sauce.
seasoning
20g mature Cheddar 9. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
cheese , grated
10. Spread the spaghetti in the base of a large,
375g dried spaghetti deep, rectangular serving dish, approx. 20 x 30cm,
making sure to tease the pasta up the sides of the
dish. Fill the cavity in the centre with the bolognese
and top with the grated Cheddar.
11. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the base and top
are crisp.
BOLOGNESE PIE
 SUMAC LAMB CHOPS WITH CRUSHED
CARAMELIZED ONION POTATOES
These chops are perfect for a barbecue. The lamb is grilled simply
and the sumac does all the talking on the hot cooked chops,
imparting an earthy, tangy flavour. Perfect paired with these
crushed sweet caramelized potatoes, which can be eaten warm, or
cold straight out of the fridge.

Serves 4 1. Put the potatoes into a large pan with plenty of

water and a good teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil,
PREP 20 MINUTES
then cook for 1–2 minutes, until the potatoes are
COOK 35 MINUTES
tender. Drain and throw back into the pan.
For the chops 2. Using a mallet, bash the meat to thin it out. Put
1kg lamb chops the chops on a tray or plate, drizzle them with the oil
5 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt.
2 teaspoons salt 3. Place a non-stick pan on a high heat and cook the
2–3 tablespoons sumac chops for 3 minutes on both sides. Once the chops
are cooked, place them on a baking tray and
For the crushed sprinkle them on both sides with the sumac. Cover
potatoes
with foil and keep them warm.
1kg potatoes , peeled
and cut into 2cm cubes 4. Wipe any burnt bits from the pan, then add the oil
4 tablespoons olive oil and let it heat up on a medium heat. Add the onions,
2 large onions (approx. salt and sugar, and cook until the onions are golden,
400g), sliced caramelized and soft. This should take 15 minutes.
¼ teaspoon salt
5. Crush the potatoes lightly with the back of a fork
1 teaspoon light brown and add to the onions. Mix through, then cook until
sugar
the potatoes are warmed through and the edges are
just crisp. Serve with the chops.
SUMAC LAMB CHOPS WITH CRUSHED CARAMELIZED ONION POTATOES
 BEEF WELLINGTON WITH FENNEL &
MINT SALAD
For me, something like beef Wellington always seemed like such a
far-fetched idea when I watched my favourite celebrity chefs make it
on television. Even once I’d decided to have a go, and ventured out
to buy a fillet of beef, it sat in my fridge until it had to be either
cooked or thrown away. So I pushed myself and here I am, and I can
reassure you that it is not as scary as it sounds or looks on the telly.
A few simple steps is all it takes, and I promise I won’t make you do
the pastry from scratch either. So you can have time to breathe and
pat yourself on the back. It’s served with a very simple fennel salad
which complements it nicely.

Serves 5 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.

PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS 2. Place the beef in a roasting dish, brush with olive
CHILLING oil all over and season. Roast in the oven for 25
COOK 1 HOUR minutes.

1kg beef fillet 3. Meanwhile put the butter, garlic and onion into a
4 tablespoons olive oil
medium pan and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the
salt, mushrooms, fenugreek and water and cook for
50g unsalted butter
another 15 minutes, until all the liquid has
1 clove of garlic ,
chopped
evaporated.
1 small onion (approx. 4. Add the mustard to the mushroom mixture and set
150g), finely chopped aside on a plate in the fridge to chill.
¼ teaspoon salt , plus
more for seasoning 5. Take the beef fillet out of the oven and place in a
dish. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until
250g button
mushrooms , finely completely cold.
chopped (to resemble
large breadcrumbs – this
6. Divide the block of pastry into two pieces, one
is best done by pulsing about 200g and the other 300g. Roll out the smaller
in a food processor) block into an 18 x 30cm rectangle. Roll out the other
2 tablespoons dried block into a 28 x 36cm rectangle.
fenugreek leaves
 100ml water 7. Note that beef fillets do vary in size, so the key is
1 tablespoon English to have the base piece of pastry large enough to sit
mustard the fillet on with a gap of at least 2.5cm around the
500g puff pastry edges. The top piece then needs to be larger, as it
12 turkey rashers (I use has to cover the top and sides of the fillet but still
the halal variety) or 12 with 2.5cm excess around the edges. Bear this in
slices of prosciutto
mind when rolling out the pastry and adjust to suit
1 egg yolk , lightly
beaten
your meat if necessary.
2 tablespoons milk 8. Put the pastry in the fridge while you prepare
a pinch of rock salt everything else.
9. On a large piece of cling film, line up the rashers
For the fennel and
mint salad side by side, leaving no gaps. Spread the cold
1 bulb of fennel (approx.
mushroom mix all over the rashers in an even layer.
300g), core removed, 10. Put the beef fillet in the centre, across the layer
thinly sliced
of rashers. Using the cling film, wrap the rashers
juice of ½ a lemon
and mushroom mix around the beef fillet, encasing it
1 small red onion completely and using the rashers to keep it all
(approx. 150g), thinly
sliced secure.
¼ teaspoon fine rock 11. Roll tightly into a sausage shape, using the cling
salt film, and make sure to secure the ends by twisting.
a large handful of fresh Place in the fridge for at least an hour, for the shape
mint (approx. 20g),
roughly chopped
to firm up.
2 tablespoons olive oil 12. Place the smaller rectangle of pastry on a
rocket leaves (approx. baking tray. Unroll the beef fillet from the cling film
90g) and place on top of the pastry.
13. Lightly whisk the egg yolk and milk together and
brush the edges of the pastry with it. Then place the
larger piece of pastry on top and tease it around the
fillet, starting from the top, making sure to remove
any air.
14. Seal the edges by pressing down firmly with the
back of a fork. At this point, neaten the edges by
cutting, if you need to. Using the back of a knife,
score the top of the pastry without cutting right
through. Brush the pastry all over with the egg
mixture, then sprinkle with salt and place in the
fridge for 3 hours (or overnight, if you’re making it in
advance).
15. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and
put a baking tray in to heat up. Once the tray is hot,
take it out of the oven and place the fillet on the hot
tray, on a sheet of baking paper.
16. Bake for 25 minutes for medium rare or 30
minutes for medium. Leave to stand for 15 minutes
before slicing.
17. To make the salad, prepare the fennel by
removing the hard tops. Slice thinly using a knife or a
mandolin. Squeeze the lemon juice over the sliced
fennel and put into a bowl.
18. Add the onion, salt and mint to the salad and,
using your hands, squeeze the mixture to release
some of the juices. Add the olive oil and mix through,
then add the rocket leaves and mix with your hands.
19. Cut the Wellington into thick slices and serve
with the salad.
BEEF WELLINGTON WITH FENNEL & MINT SALAD
 TANDOORI SEEKH KEBABS WITH
COCONUT RICE
I grew up on seekh kebabs, though not the kind you buy at the local
takeaway, but the kind my dad used to bring home from his
restaurant. Beautiful minced beef, spiced and cooked in a burning
hot tandoor. Nothing can quite recreate the exact experience at
home, but let’s do what we can. We may not have a tandoor, but we
have an oven and a cupboard full of spices.

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and

line a baking tray with baking paper.
PREP 30 MINUTES
COOK 40 MINUTES 2. Put the onion, chillies, coriander, garlic, ginger,
cumin, garam masala, salt and beef mince into a
For the seekh kebabs bowl and mix together using your hands.
1 large onion (about
200g), finely chopped
3. Using wet hands, divide the mixture into twelve
equal mounds and shape them into seekh kebab
2 green chillies , finely
chopped sausage shapes. Place on the prepared baking tray
3 tablespoons finely
and brush all over with the oil.
chopped fresh 4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, making sure to turn them
coriander
halfway.
5 cloves of garlic ,
crushed 5. For the rice, place a large non-stick pan on a
25g fresh ginger , medium heat and add the butter and oil. Add the
peeled and crushed in a onion and cook down for 5–10 minutes, until soft.
pestle and mortar
2 teaspoons cumin
6. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes on a high
seeds heat.
2 teaspoons garam 7. Add the coconut milk and water, and season with
masala
salt.
2 teaspoons salt
800g beef mince
8. Bring to the boil, then allow to simmer for about
15–20 minutes, until all the liquid has evaporated.
5 tablespoons olive oil
9. Take the pan off the heat, put the lid on top and
For the coconut rice leave the rice to steam for another 5 minutes.
 1 tablespoon butter 10. Serve the rice alongside the kebabs.
1 tablespoon sunflower
oil
1 large onion (approx.
200g), chopped
500g basmati rice
400ml coconut milk
600ml water
salt , for seasoning
 EASY CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA WITH
BASMATI RICE
I invited a playground mum over to my house a few years ago and
fretted over what to cook for her children, who had never eaten a
curry in their lives. I assured her I could do non-ethnic foods and
would cook whatever her kids liked, but she insisted they would eat
whatever I made, which I suspect was her way of introducing her
kids to curry in the safety of a home and not in full public view of a
packed Indian restaurant! So I set about creating the simplest and
most delicious chicken tikka, with all the vibrancy but none of the
food colouring or heat. Her kids loved it and have since refused to
eat curries at restaurants because they don’t taste like my tikka
masala. Praise indeed!

Serves 3–4 1. Put the oil into a large pan and place on a medium
heat. Add the crushed ginger and garlic and cook for
PREP 30 MINUTES
about 1 minute.
COOK 1 HOUR
2. Add the onions, salt and tomato purée and cook
For the tikka masala for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened.
5 tablespoons olive oil
3. Add the chicken breast, garam masala and curry
30g fresh ginger , powder. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the water now,
peeled and crushed
as the chicken will be starting to stick slightly. Cook
5 cloves of garlic ,
peeled and crushed
until all the moisture has evaporated.
2 small onions (approx. 4. Now add the tomato soup, bring to the boil and
200g), finely chopped leave to simmer on a low to medium heat for 25
1 teaspoon salt minutes.
1 tablespoon tomato
purée
5. Take off the heat and add the chopped coriander.
700g chicken breast , 6. To cook the rice, put it into a large non-stick pan
diced with the water. Bring to the boil, then allow to
1 tablespoon garam simmer for about 10 minutes, until all the water has
masala evaporated.
 1 tablespoon curry 7. Turn the heat down completely, place a lid on the
powder
pan and allow the rice to steam gently for about 10
100ml water minutes.
1 x 400g tin of tomato
soup 8. Once the rice is cooked, use a fork to fluff it up.
a large handful of fresh Then add the melted ghee and stir through. Serve
coriander (30g), with the tikka masala.
chopped

For the rice

375g basmati rice
830ml water
2 tablespoons ghee ,
melted
CRISPY CHICKEN WITH SWEET POTATO
FRIES & BARBECUE BEANS
The first chicken and chip shop that ever opened in Luton is the
same place where I still get my chicken and chips. I know it’s my
home and I am biased, but they are a force to be reckoned with!
When I can’t make it there, I like to create my own variations of my
favourites at home. This crispy chicken has a hidden layer of spice
and a crisp exterior, and is accompanied by baked sweet potato fries
and warm barbecue beans.

Serves 4 1. Put a large pan of water on the stove, add a large

pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Add the chicken
PREP 30 MINUTES
and boil for 15 minutes. Once boiled, place on
COOK 1 HOUR
kitchen paper and drain off the excess water.
For the chicken 2. Put the chicken in a bowl with the sweet chilli
4 large pieces of sauce. Set aside.
chicken thigh (about
150g each), skin on and 3. Put the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper,
bone still in onion powder, garlic powder and salt on a plate and
200ml sweet chilli mix together.
sauce
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the dry spice mix
150g plain flour
and set aside on another plate.
1 teaspoon baking
powder 5. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the
1 teaspoon cayenne pieces of chicken and fry for 3 minutes on either
pepper side, until golden brown. Place on a baking tray.
1 teaspoon onion
powder
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
1 teaspoon garlic 7. Combine the garlic powder, paprika and salt in a
powder small bowl.
1 teaspoon salt
8. Put the sweet potato wedges on a large baking
150ml vegetable oil ,
for frying
tray, then cover them with the garlic mix and drizzle
with the oil.
For the sweet potato
 fries 9. Place the trays of chicken and sweet potatoes in
2 large sweet potatoes the oven, with the sweet potatoes at the top, and
(approx. 800g), cut into bake for 25–30 minutes.
wedges
2 teaspoons garlic 10. Meanwhile, mix together the beans, smoked
powder paprika and brown sauce and gently heat them up.
1½ teaspoons paprika
11. Serve everything together, and dig in.
a large pinch of salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the barbecue

beans
2 x 400g tins of baked
beans
1 teaspoon smoked
paprika
2 tablespoons brown
sauce
CRISPY CHICKEN WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES & BARBECUE BEANS
 Party Time
I don’t often have enormous parties. Not because I dislike company, as in
fact I think there is nothing nicer than spending hours in a room full of
friends talking about anything and everything. And not because I don’t like
feeding people, because (if I may say so myself!) that’s the one talent I
do have. It’s also not because I don’t like to be in the kitchen, because
that is my favourite place to be. No, the reason I don’t often have big
parties is because I hate the idea of clearing up afterwards. The very
thought of it completely puts me off. But every now and again common
sense prevails and I realize I like nothing more than talking, feeding people
and cooking nice things, so I throw a party and face my fear. And in the
end, when faced with that dreaded clear-up after everyone’s gone, it’s
normally not as bad as I thought it would be. Especially as it turns out I
am very good at convincing my husband that he is the best clearer-upper
in the whole wide world. (Works every time!) So in the spirit of having big
parties more often, this chapter is full of my favourite recipes for a large
turnout. Some are a bit more advanced than others, but they all make for
a great party!
 BLOODY MARY CASHEWS
I don’t actually drink alcohol, so it may come as a surprise to see
one of my recipes labelled ‘Bloody Mary’. But the fact I don’t drink
doesn’t take away my curiosity for the flavours used in cocktails and
what makes them taste the way they do, and I enjoy nothing better
than inventing new food-drink hybrids! Bloody Mary is a
combination of sweet and savoury with a hint of chilli. I have had a
virgin version of the classic and liked it a lot, so here I have tried to
recreate the flavour in my party cashews.

Makes 1 large bowlful 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180° fan/gas 5. Have

a large baking tray ready.
PREP 20 MINUTES
COOK 2 MINUTES 2. Mix the paprika, lime zest and celery salt in a
small bowl and set aside.
4 teaspoons paprika
3. Put the egg whites into a large bowl and whisk for
zest of 4 limes
a few minutes by hand, until the mixture is light and
4 teaspoons celery salt frothy.
2 egg whites
4. Add the nuts to the bowl of egg-white and mix
600g whole cashews
through, making sure the nuts are covered with the
egg white mixture. This acts as a glue for the spices
to stick to.
5. Spread the cashews on the baking tray. Sprinkle
over all the spice mixture, then, using a clean spoon,
mix the nuts around so they are completely coated.
6. Bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes, making sure
to give them a stir halfway through. Keep a close
eye on them so they don’t catch. You will know they
are ready when the spices on the nuts are dry to the
touch.
7. Take the cashews out of the oven and leave to
cool on the tray. Once completely cool, put them into
a large bowl or smaller bowls to serve.
BLOODY MARY CASHEWS
 CRAB SUMMER ROLLS
Unlike spring rolls, which are wrapped in pastry and deep-fried,
summer rolls are wrapped in rice paper and don’t need cooking,
which makes them both easier and healthier. They are a feast for the
eyes, not just the belly, since the translucent rice paper lets all the
crunchy veg shine through, and the more colours you use, the better
the rolls look – quite literally a rainbow on a plate. This makes all
the difference. The trick to getting these spot on is to prepare
everything at the start before assembling.

Makes 16 1. Chop all the vegetables and lay them out ready to
assemble.
PREP 25 MINUTES
NO COOK 2. Put the crabmeat in a bowl and mix in the lemon
zest. Set aside.
1 small red onion , very
thinly sliced 3. Boil a full kettle of water. Pour some into a
10 mangetout , very
shallow bowl – deep enough to entirely dunk one
thinly sliced wrapper. Let the water cool a little.
1 small carrot , peeled 4. Have ready a chopping board and a plate for your
and sliced into thin strips
finished rolls. Dunk a wrapper into the warm water,
1 small red pepper , completely submerging it. As soon as you feel it
thinly sliced
soften, take out and lay it flat on the board.
200g crabmeat (tinned
or fresh) 5. Place a few coriander leaves at one end of the
zest of 1 lemon wrapper. This will be the top of the roll when you are
16 spring roll wrappers finished, and it’s lovely to see the coriander leaves
a large handful of fresh displayed. Now add a little bit of the onion,
coriander , leaves remembering that less is more. When laying out the
picked vegetables, keep them within the shape of an 8cm
salt , for seasoning rectangle – too big and you won’t be able to roll the
wrapper up comfortably.
For the dipping sauce
juice of 4 limes
6. Add the mangetout, carrot, pepper and crabmeat,
then season. Now fold in the two sides of the
1–1½ tablespoons palm
sugar , golden caster wrapper to create two straight edges. Turn over the
bottom of the wrapper to completely conceal the
sugar or coconut sugar crab and veg, then roll the whole thing up, making
1–1½ tablespoons fish sure to tuck in the sides as you go, keeping the
sauce , to taste shape of the roll.
2cm piece of fresh
ginger , peeled and 7. Place on a tray, then repeat with the rest of the
finely chopped wrappers and filling. If you are not serving your
½ –1 large red chilli , summer rolls straight away, leave them in the fridge,
finely chopped, to taste covered with damp kitchen paper.
8. For the dipping sauce, mix together the lime juice
and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir well until the sugar
has dissolved. Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and
mix. Taste, adding a little more sugar or fish sauce
as needed. You want to balance the flavours so that
no ingredient is more powerful than the others.
9. Mix in the ginger and as much chopped chilli as
you like. Stir, taste and adjust the flavours if
necessary.
CRAB SUMMER ROLLS
 CHEESE & CRYSTALLIZED GINGER
STRAWS
Cheese straws used to be my go-to food for when I was out with the
kids. It was what I gave them when carrot sticks no longer did the
job. But they can be so much more than just a snack in a ziplock
bag. They can be quite grown-up too! I love making cheese straws,
because I can freeze them halfway through and later bake them from
frozen. These are flavoured with Parmesan, and with a hidden
surprise of crystallized ginger running through them. I can’t decide
if they are sweet or savoury, so I guess they can be either/or, or
both.

Makes 18–20 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Line

a baking tray with baking paper.
PREP 40 MINUTES
COOK 15 MINUTES 2. Place the ready-rolled puff pastry on a lightly
floured work surface. Sprinkle one half of the pastry
1 x 320g pack of ready- with half the grated Parmesan and all the chopped
rolled puff pastry crystallized ginger. Fold over the other half of the
a little plain flour , for pastry and press down firmly.
dusting
170g Parmesan cheese 3. Roll the whole thing out to about the thickness of
, finely grated a pound coin, trying to keep it a rectangle shape as
100g crystallized much as you can.
ginger , roughly
chopped 4. Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 1cm
1 egg , lightly beaten
strips. Brush the tops of the strips with the beaten
egg and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan.
a large pinch of rock
salt Place them on the baking tray and twist them a few
times, then sprinkle with salt.
5. If you like, you can freeze them at this point –
keep them on the baking tray and place it in the
freezer, so they don’t lose their shape. Once they’re
frozen, keep them in a ziplock bag in the freezer till
you are ready to bake them.
6. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10–12
minutes, or until golden and crisp. If you are baking
them from frozen, they will take 15–17 minutes at
the same temperature.
7. Take out of the oven and leave to cool on the tray.
8. These will keep in an airtight container for three
days if you want to make them in advance.
CHEESE & CRYSTALLIZED GINGER STRAWS
 ARANCINI BALLS WITH ROASTED RED
PEPPER & PINE NUT DIP
These delicious morsels are essentially balls of smooth, sticky rice
inside a crisp shell. They are a great way to use up leftover risotto,
though I do often cook risotto especially for them. Once you have
cooled the rice, it is yours to flavour with whatever you want. I like
the strong taste of cheese with the zing of chives.

Makes 10 1. Put the stock in a large pan with the saffron. Bring
to the boil.
PREP 2 HOURS 45
MINUTES 2. Add the risotto rice and the salt and bring back to
COOK 15 MINUTES the boil, then lower the temperature and leave to
simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed all the
For the arancini liquid, about 30 minutes.
800ml vegetable stock
3. Take off the heat, stir in both types of cheese and
a good pinch of saffron
allow to melt, then add the chives and spread out
250g risotto rice
the rice on a flat tray. Once the rice has cooled to
½ teaspoon salt room temperature, place it in the fridge for about 1
50g Parmesan cheese , hour to cool completely.
finely grated
150g mozzarella , 4. Meanwhile, to make the dip, put the roasted red
grated peppers into a food processor and add the cumin,
30g fresh chives , finely oil, pine nuts, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Blitz the
chopped mixture to a smooth paste and transfer to a serving
1 medium egg bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
170g plain flour 5. Remove the rice from the fridge, then wet your
½ teaspoon fine salt hands and make the mixture into 10 equal balls.
1 teaspoon garlic
powder 6. Make a batter by putting the egg, flour, salt, garlic
200ml water
powder and water into a bowl and mixing to a
smooth paste.
vegetable oil , for frying
500g fine breadcrumbs 7. Heat the oil to 170°C, or until a breadcrumb
dropped into the oil sizzles and rises to the top.
 For the dip Working in batches of a few at a time, dip each rice
1 x 340 jar of roasted ball first into the batter, then into the breadcrumbs,
red peppers , drained and fry for 4–5 minutes, turning them around, until
1 teaspoon ground they are a golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
cumin
5 tablespoons olive oil 8. Serve the arancini hot with the dip.
75g pine nuts
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon balsamic
vinegar
ARANCINI BALLS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER & PINE NUT DIP
 SALMON SCOTCH EGGS
Scotch eggs needn’t just be for picnics, they can be for parties that
take place indoors too! This is not too different to a regular Scotch
egg recipe, except that I’ve chosen to wrap the eggs in something
else – here they are encased in pink salmon, which is delicately
flavoured with dill and onion seeds.

Makes 20 wedges 1. Dry the hard-boiled eggs with kitchen paper, then
roll them in the flour until they are lightly coated. This
PREP 50 MINUTES
will help the salmon stick to the egg.
COOK 25 MINUTES
2. Put the salmon into a food processor and add the
5 hard-boiled eggs , spring onions and dill. Blitz until you have a smooth
peeled paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the
½ tablespoon plain onion seeds, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
flour
4 large skinless salmon 3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and
fillets (645g), lightly grease a baking tray.
2 spring onions , 4. Divide the salmon into 5 equal portions. Flatten
roughly chopped
each one, put an egg in the middle, then press the
½ a packet of fresh dill
(15g), roughly chopped,
fish around the edges, encasing the egg.
plus extra to garnish 5. Place on the baking tray, and repeat with the rest
2 teaspoons onion of the eggs. Bake the Scotch eggs in the oven for
seeds
30 minutes, then take out and allow to cool
6 tablespoons fresh completely.
breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon salt 6. Slice each cooled Scotch egg into 4 wedges,
1 teaspoon black
arrange on a serving plate and garnish with dill.
pepper Serve with mayo.
mayonnaise, to serve
SALMON SCOTCH EGGS
 CARAWAY PITTA CHIPS WITH
BEETROOT & FETA DIP
I love nothing better than opening a packet and pouring out the
contents into the biggest bowl I can find. I think we all have times
when we want to do as little as possible. But we also all have times
when we want to show off, and this recipe is for those extra-effort
days. It’s a simple method, but really delivers on colour and flavour,
combining aromatic pitta chips with a deliciously easy beetroot dip.

Serves 8–10 1. For the pitta chips, begin by toasting the caraway
seeds lightly in a non-stick pan, being careful not to
PREP 45 MINUTES
burn them as this will make them bitter. As soon as
COOK 20 MINUTES
you hear a few sounds of popping, take them off the
For the caraway pitta
heat and crush them to a fine powder, using a pestle
chips and mortar or a spice grinder.
3 teaspoons caraway 2. Put the olive oil into a bowl. Stir in the crushed
seeds
caraway seeds.
75ml olive oil
6 pitta breads (white or
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Have
wholemeal ) a large baking tray ready.
a large pinch of salt 4. Using a small sharp knife, separate each pitta to
make 2 ovals. Now slice the ovals into wedges or
For the beetroot dip
strips (I like strips). Brush the strips with the oily
500g cooked beetroot spice mix and place on the baking tray, making sure
(not the kind in vinegar –
be sure to check) there is not too much overlap. If you find that there
3 tablespoons olive oil ,
is, use a second tray or bake them in batches.
plus extra for drizzling Sprinkle with salt.
a pinch of salt , to taste 5. Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes, until the
2 cloves of garlic chips are a light golden brown and crisp. Keep an
a squeeze of lemon eye on them, as they may cook slightly quicker.
juice
6. Take them out of the oven and leave to cool.
150g feta cheese
Once cooled they can be stored in an airtight
container for few weeks. But set aside if you are
using them the same day.
7. Meanwhile, to make the dip, put the beetroot into
a food processor, along with the oil, salt, garlic and
a squeeze of lemon juice, and blitz to a smooth
paste.
8. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and crumble on
some feta before serving. I like to drizzle it with a
little bit more olive oil, too. Serve with the pitta chips.
CARAWAY PITTA CHIPS WITH BEETROOT & FETA DIP
 SUMAC & LEMON THYME FOCACCIA
Bread was the one thing that I used to be afraid of where baking
was concerned. It took many a disaster before I really began to
understand the process. I still have much to learn, but one of my
favourite breads that I’ve learnt to bake on this journey of bread
discovery is focaccia. I particularly like this sumac and thyme
version, which is so moist that it really doesn’t need anything else
served alongside it.

Makes 2 (serves 8–10) 1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl or the bowl
of a stand mixer. Add the salt to one side of the
PREP 1 HOURS 50
MINUTES, INCLUDING bowl and the yeast to the opposite side.
PROVING
2. Add the olive oil and water and mix to bring the
COOK 18 MINUTES dough together. If you are using a stand mixer,
attach the dough hook and knead on high for 5
500g strong bread
flour , plus extra 75g if minutes. If you are kneading by hand, lightly grease
making by hand the surface of your worktop and knead for 10
2 teaspoons salt minutes. The dough will be quite sticky at first, so if
14g fast action yeast you are kneading by hand you may need to add up
2 tablespoons olive oil ,
to 75g more flour to help make it workable.
plus extra for drizzling 3. The dough should now be smooth and stretchy.
400ml cold water Place it in a greased bowl, cover and leave to
2 large sprigs of lemon double in size. This could take an hour, sometimes
thyme , leaves picked less, sometimes more, depending on how warm
a large pinch of rock your room is.
salt
2 tablespoons sumac 4. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out on
to a work surface and divide it in half.
5. Place a piece of dough on a large flat baking tray,
then grease your hands and push the dough out to
cover as much of the tray as possible.
6. Repeat with the second piece of dough, then
cover both trays with greased cling film and leave
for 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
8. Get rid of the cling film, then, using your
fingertips, press indents into the dough. Drizzle with
plenty of olive oil, so you have puddles of oil in the
indents you made. Sprinkle over the lemon thyme
leaves and rock salt.
9. Bake for 15–18 minutes, swapping the two trays
over halfway through cooking to ensure an even
bake.
10. Once out of the oven, sprinkle over the sumac
while the bread is still warm. I like to serve the
focaccia with good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
SUMAC & LEMON THYME FOCACCIA
 ASPARAGUS PIZZA BIANCO
‘Asparagus on a pizza?’ I hear you ask. Asparagus is such a
delicious vegetable but it often gets overlooked among the jungle of
other vegetables out there. So I wanted to make asparagus, with its
delicate flavour and crisp texture, the star of the show! And what
better way to do that than putting it on a pizza? If we’re breaking
rules, we might as well break them in style!

Makes 2 large pizzas 1. To make the pizza base, put the flour into a mixing
bowl, with the yeast on one side of the bowl and the
PREP 30 MINUTES,
PLUS RESTING salt on the other.
COOK 25 MINUTES 2. Put the oil, warm milk and water into a jug. Add
the wet mixture to the dry and mix together till a
For the base dough is formed.
325g ‘00’ pasta flour
3. Knead by hand for 10 minutes, or use a stand
1 teaspoon fast-action
yeast mixer with a dough hook attached for 5 minutes on a
1 teaspoon salt
medium speed. The dough should be smooth and
elastic. Leave it in the bowl, cover with cling film and
20ml olive oil
place in a warm part of the house to double in size.
50ml warm milk
This can take up to an hour, depending on how
150ml warm water warm or cold it is.
For the topping 4. Once doubled, take the dough out of the bowl and
200ml double cream knock the air out. Divide into 2 equal mounds, place
3 cloves of garlic , on a tray, cover and leave to rise again.
crushed
5. Meanwhile make the sauce. Put the cream into a
40g Parmesan cheese , small pan with the garlic and place on a medium
finely grated
heat until it has halved in quantity and is thicker,
1 sprig of fresh
rosemary , leaves
about 3–4 minutes. Take off the heat, add the
picked and finely Parmesan and rosemary, mix and set aside.
chopped
6. Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9 and put
100g mature Cheddar
two baking sheets in to heat up.
cheese , grated
 250g asparagus , 7. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll out
woody ends removed (to
leave approx. 150g),
one piece of dough as thinly as you can, into a circle
thinly sliced lengthways about 25cm wide. Repeat with the other piece.
zest of 1 small lemon 8. Take the hot baking sheets out of the oven and
carefully lift the pizza bases onto them. Spread half
the creamy sauce all over each base, then divide the
asparagus slices between them. Finally, sprinkle the
cheese over both pizzas.
9. Bake for 10–12 minutes on the top and middle
shelf, swapping the trays over halfway, until the
topping is bubbling and golden and the bases are
browned at the edges.
10. Lift the pizzas onto cutting boards, zest the
lemon over the top, then slice and serve.
ASPARAGUS PIZZA BIANCO
 BEEF CARPACCIO WITH GHEE BREAD
Most of my older relatives recoil at the thought of carpaccio. I was
raised in a culture where everything has to be cooked to death, and
I mean even down to the poor veg, which gets boiled to within an
inch of its life. I’ve always rebelled and deliberately eaten anything
that makes my elders reel. My dad is the one exception: he shares
my opinion and welcomes carpaccio, tartare, anything that doesn’t
need much cooking, with simple flavours enhancing the star
ingredient. To make carpaccio you need to use a really fresh cut of
meat. I always buy it on the day I am going to use it. Here it’s
cooked lightly, with a mustard crust, then chilled and sliced before
being served on a buttery ghee crispbread with a sharp salsa verde.

Makes 8 1. Season the steak with salt and the mustard

powder. Place a non-stick pan on a medium heat
PREP 25 MINUTES
and add the oil. Fry the steak for 1 minute on each
COOK 25 MINUTES
side, then take off the heat and leave to cool
For the carpaccio
completely in the fridge.
400g beef steak 2. Once the carpaccio has cooled, wrap it in cling
salt , for seasoning film and place in the freezer for 3–4 hours. This will
2 tablespoons English allow you to cut really thin slices.
mustard powder
3. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: put all the
1 tablespoon olive oil , ingredients into a food processor and blitz to a
for frying
smooth paste.
For the salsa verde 4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and
60g fresh mixed herbs have a baking tray at the ready.
(you can use whatever
you like – I used mint , 5. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with the
coriander , dill , chives melted ghee. Place on the baking tray and put into
and oregano )
the oven for 18–20 minutes, or until the bread is
2 cloves of garlic , golden and crisp. Take out and leave to cool.
peeled
1 tablespoon capers 6. To serve, take the carpaccio out of the freezer
2 anchovies and remove the cling film. Slice really thinly and
leave it to just come up to room temperature.
 1 teaspoon French 7. Top the bread with the sliced beef and drizzle with
mustard
the salsa verde before serving.
100ml olive oil
2 tablespoons apple
cider vinegar

For the ghee toast

8 slices of tiger bread ,
thinly sliced
50g ghee , melted
BEEF CARPACCIO WITH GHEE BREAD
 PULLED BEEF IN BRIOCHE
Pulled meat, of any sort, has recently become very popular,
especially at festivals and street food markets. I have tried so many
variations, and everyone has their own way of doing it. I like my
pulled meat to be stringy and tender, with a runny sauce that is just
slightly thickened. I often cook mine in a slow cooker, but you can
cook it equally well on the stovetop or in the oven. This recipe
creates a delicious combination of sweet, sour and hot chilli, with
freshness from the coriander scattered over at the end.

Serves 6–8 1. Put the olive oil into a large ovenproof crockpot or
large non-stick frying pan, and place on a high heat.
PREP 55 MINUTES
Season the beef with salt really well on all sides. Put
COOK 3 HOURS 5
MINUTES
the beef into the pot or pan and fry for a few
minutes on each side, till the exterior is brown and
3 tablespoons olive oil crisp, then take out and set aside.
800g beef (skirt steak, 2. To the same pan add the onions, garlic and 1
beef cheeks, shin or
shoulder), in steaks or
teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onions are
pieces softened. Now add the chopped tomatoes, brown
1 teaspoon of salt , plus sauce, honey, vinegar and paprika and cook for 5
more for seasoning minutes on a medium heat, until the mixture has
2 medium onions , reduced and thickened.
chopped
3. If you are using the oven, preheat it to
3 cloves of garlic ,
crushed
180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
1 x 400g tin of chopped 4. If you are using the same crockpot, put the beef
tomatoes back into the pot. If you are using a slow cooker, put
2 tablespoons brown in the beef along with the cooked onion and tomato
sauce mixture. Pour over the beef stock and give it all a
2 tablespoons runny good stir.
honey
1 tablespoon balsamic
5. For a slow cooker, cook on high for 3 hours. On
vinegar the stovetop, cook with the lid on for 3 hours on a
1 teaspoon smoked medium to low heat. If cooking in the oven, it will
paprika need 3 hours with the lid on.
 350ml beef stock 6. Check the meat halfway through cooking – if the
3 tablespoons sriracha liquid is drying up too fast, lower the oven heat
chilli sauce slightly and add another 100ml of water.
1 tablespoon cornflour,
mixed with 2 7. After 3 hours take the beef out and use two forks
tablespoons water to pull it apart. Put the meat back into the pan. Stir
30g fresh coriander , in the sriracha and the cornflour paste, and cook for
roughly chopped another 5 minutes.
8–10 brioche buns , to
serve 8. Take off the heat and stir in the fresh coriander.
9. Serve the pulled beef with sliced brioche buns.
Sandwich the meat in between the buns and give
them a go.
 OATCAKE, POTATO & DILL SAMOSAS
No matter where I am or what I’m doing, if I see a samosa I always
want to know and taste what’s inside. I have made it my life’s
mission to discover how many ways I can make a samosa, what I can
fill it with and what I can wrap it in. The inspiration for these
samosa cases is delicious Derbyshire oatcakes. Not the crisp kind
you’ll know from the cheeseboard, but more like a soft round
savoury pancake. Here I’ve filled them with a lightly spiced potato
and pea filling and fresh dill. If you can’t find these oatcakes near
where you live, you can substitute shop-bought pancakes instead –
they will work exactly the same.

Makes 12 1. To make the filling, heat the oil in a non-stick

frying pan on a medium heat, add the onion and salt,
PREP 30 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING and cook until soft and lightly brown. Add the cumin
COOK 30 MINUTES
and peas and cook for a few minutes.
2. Stir in the dill, along with the mashed potato, and
For the filling make sure everything is nicely incorporated, then
1–2 tablespoons transfer the mixture to a bowl and leave to cool
vegetable oil
completely.
1 large white onion ,
finely chopped 3. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut the
1 teaspoon salt oatcakes in half, to make 12 semi-circles.
2 teaspoons ground 4. Mix together the flour and water to make the
cumin
‘glue’.
150g frozen peas ,
defrosted 5. Take one of the oatcake semi-circles and put a
25g fresh dill , finely heaped tablespoon of the filling in the centre, making
chopped sure not to get it around the edges.
400g mashed potato ,
cooled
6. Fold one side of the oatcake over the filling, then
fold over the other side. Brush the seams with the
6 Derbyshire oatcakes
or 20cm shop-bought
‘glue’, then the base. Press the edges together and
pancakes place on the baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the
2 litres vegetable oil oatcakes and filling.
 For the ‘glue’ 7. Place the samosas in the freezer for 30 minutes.
4 tablespoons plain
flour 8. Meanwhile, pour the oil into a medium pan and
4 tablespoons water
heat to 190°C. You will know the oil is ready for
frying when you drop in some of the ‘glue’ and it
sizzles and rises to the top. Fry a few samosas at a
time, for a couple of minutes on each side, until they
are crisp and golden.
9. Drain on kitchen paper, and serve warm.
 LEMON & FENNEL MARINATED OLIVES
To me, no party is complete without a huge bowl of olives. I love the
natural saltiness they bring, which cuts through everything else on
the table. They are always a popular addition, and with this recipe I
want to show that you don’t have to buy expensive jars or posh
ones from the deli. You can buy plain olives and jazz them up with
your own flavours. These ones are laced with fennel, lemon and lots
of olive oil.

Makes 1 large bowlful 1. Finely chop the fennel fronds and set aside. Slice
the fennel bulb – you only need 200g, so use any
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS MARINATING extra for another recipe.

1 bulb of fennel , with 2. Put the olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes and basil into a
lots of fronds large bowl.
4 tablespoons olive oil 3. Toast the fennel seeds gently in a small pan on a
3 cloves of garlic , medium heat till they start to pop, then take off the
crushed and finely
chopped
heat and crush the seeds. This will help to release
their oils.
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 teaspoons dried basil 4. Add the fennel seeds and lemon zest to the bowl,
1 teaspoon fennel along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Add a pinch of
seeds salt and give it all a good mix.
zest of 1 lemon , plus a 5. Stir in the sliced fennel and the fennel fronds,
squeeze of lemon juice
cover the bowl, and set aside for 30 minutes.
a pinch of salt
550g mixed pitted
6. Mix in the olives, then cover and leave in the
olives fridge until you are ready to use them.
 SALT COD FRITTERS WITH PINK
PEPPERCORN SAUCE
I cannot express how much I adore salt cod – although the first time
I ever cooked with it, I committed a cardinal sin and went for the no-
soak, no-boil, straight-out-of-the-packet type cooking method. I can
see you wincing at the very thought. I paid for my mistake by way of
wasted ingredients, but the looks on the kids’ faces were priceless
as they tasted it. So salt cod is to be treated with love and patience.
It’s the only way to get the best from this delicious preserved fish.

Makes 20 1. Place the salt cod, milk and sugar in a pan and
bring to the boil. Remove and leave to cool, then
PREP 40 MINUTES,
PLUS SOAKING place in the fridge to soak overnight.
COOK 50 MINUTES 2. Once cooled, remove any skin and bones and
break the fish into flakes. Put into a large bowl with
For the fritters the mashed potato.
500g salt cod
3. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan and place
800ml whole milk
on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and
2 tablespoons caster
sugar
cook gently for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add
the chilli flakes and cook for another 5 minutes. Let
300g mashed potato ,
cooled (see tip ) the mixture cool, then add to the potato and fish.
1 tablespoon olive oil 4. Add the lemon zest, chopped coriander and egg
1 clove of garlic , and give it all a good mix.
crushed
5. Shape the mixture into 20 equal-size fishballs and
1 small onion (approx.
100g), chopped set aside on a board.
1 teaspoon chilli flakes 6. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan. Test to see
zest of 1 lemon (save that it’s hot enough by putting a tiny bit of the mixture
the juice for the sauce) into the pan – if it sizzles and comes to the surface,
a handful of fresh the oil is ready.
coriander (approx. 20g),
chopped 7. Place a few of the fishballs in the oil at a time,
1 large egg making sure to keep them moving. They will take 3–
 1–2 litres vegetable oil 4 minutes to cook – you want them to be an even
, for frying, depending on
size of pan
golden brown. Repeat in batches until you’ve cooked
them all, draining them on kitchen paper.
For the sauce 8. To make the sauce, put the salad cream, lemon
6 tablespoons salad juice and pink peppercorns into a small bowl and mix
cream
together.
juice of 1 lemon (see
above) 9. Serve the salt cod fritters with the sauce.
2 tablespoons pink
peppercorns , crushed
to a fine powder Tip: To make 300g of mash from scratch, cook 1
large (350g) floury potato for 10–15 minutes in the
microwave in 5-minute bursts, then peel and mash
the flesh.
 POPCORN MUSSELS WITH PAPRIKA
CHIVE MAYO
I was left traumatized after my dad decided to cook a prawn mussel
curry. He used to come home from his restaurant and cook up a
storm, and among his other culinary creations he had tried currying
herring roe, caviar, squid – and, on this occasion, mussels. After
that, every time anyone asked me if I liked mussels I was quick to
respond, ‘I hate them.’ But then I discovered beautiful cookbooks,
which taught me how to cook mussels properly and treat them with
respect. What I have learnt is that not everything needs to be
curried. Especially not mussels. These popcorn mussels are
deliciously crisp, with a sweet soft centre. The reason why I call
them popcorn mussels is because that is exactly how we eat them –
like popcorn. Once I start, I just cannot stop!

Serves 4 1. Check the mussels – if there are any that have

broken shells or that won’t open, discard them. Put
PREP 30 MINUTES
the rest of the mussels into a large pan with 200ml
COOK 20 MINUTES
of water. Put the lid on top and cook for 1 minute on
For the mussels
a high heat.
1kg mussels , de- 2. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook
bearded and cleaned for another 3 minutes, then drain and leave to cool
350ml water for few minutes.
130g plain flour , plus
50g for dusting
3. Take out the mussel meat and place on a tray
lined with kitchen paper to drain off excess moisture.
¼ teaspoon garlic
powder If any mussels have not opened, just throw them
1 teaspoon onion
away.
powder 4. Tip the 130g of flour, the garlic powder, onion
¼ teaspoon baking powder and baking powder into a bowl. Add the
powder
remaining 150ml of water and mix to a smooth
1.5 litres vegetable oil , paste.
for frying
salt , for seasoning
For the paprika chive 5. Dust the mussel meat with the 50g of flour. Get
mayo
rid of any excess flour, then put the mussel meat into
7 tablespoons the bowl with the paste and mix, making sure all the
mayonnaise (approx.
105g) mussels are covered.
½ teaspoon paprika 6. Heat the oil to 150°C, if you have a thermometer,
salt , for seasoning otherwise drop in a bit of the batter – when it starts
a large handful of fresh to sizzle and rise to the top, the oil is ready.
chives , finely chopped
7. Fry the mussels in batches for 3–4 minutes. Drain
on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
8. To make the sauce, put the mayo, paprika, salt
and chives into a bowl and mix together. Serve the
sauce with the mussels.
SALT COD FRITTERS WITH PINK PEPPERCORN SAUCE
POPCORN MUSSELS WITH PAPRIKA CHIVE MAYO
 FENNEL WELSH CAKES WITH
BLUEBERRY COULIS
Whenever I visit Wales, I find myself so mesmerized by the view
from the train window that I always nearly miss my stop. On my first
trip there, wondering what I could take back for my children apart
from a fridge magnet, the answer came when I discovered Welsh
cakes! Shaped much like a scone, but flatter and cooked on a
griddle, they are sweet and spicy, full of chewy currants. Back
home, fridge magnet in hand, I set out to recreate this simple yet
delicious treat for the kids. My version is spiced with crushed fennel
seeds, dotted with tart dried blueberries, and served with a crisp,
fresh blueberry coulis. In Wales, Welsh cakes are often eaten with
butter and jam, so you can go more traditional if you prefer. Either
way, these mini ones make a great sweet treat at a party.

Makes about 24 1. Put the flour and 85g of the caster sugar into a
large bowl, add the baking powder and crushed
PREP 45 MINUTES
fennel seeds and mix together.
COOK 20 MINUTES
(COOK IN 2–3 2. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to
BATCHES) rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
For the Welsh cakes 3. Scatter the blueberries in and mix through, then
225g plain flour , plus make a well in the centre and add the egg. Use a
extra for dusting palette knife to mix the egg in, then pour in the milk
285g golden caster and get your hands in there to bring the dough
sugar together.
½ teaspoon baking
powder 4. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the
dough to 1cm thickness. Using a 4cm round cutter,
1 teaspoon fennel
seeds , crushed cut out rounds, then take all the scraps, bring them
100g unsalted butter , together and re-roll. Cut out more rounds, and keep
cubed, plus extra for doing this until you have used up all the dough.
greasing
5. Put the remaining 200g of caster sugar into a
50g dried blueberries ,
roughly chopped
bowl.
 1 medium egg , lightly 6. Lightly brush a medium non-stick pan with a little
beaten
melted butter. Or alternatively you can use spray oil.
2 tablespoons whole
milk 7. Place a batch of Welsh cakes in the pan, well
spaced out, and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes.
For the coulis Turn them over and cook for another 3 minutes, then
250g fresh blueberries take off the heat and immediately dip each Welsh
1 tablespoon icing cake into the bowl of sugar. Set aside.
sugar
8. Do the same for the remaining Welsh cakes:
a squeeze of lemon
juice cook, coat in sugar and set aside.
9. To make the coulis, put the blueberries into a food
processor with the icing sugar and lemon juice and
blitz until broken down. Then push through a sieve to
remove all the bits.
10. Serve the coulis in a small bowl alongside the
Welsh cakes.
FENNEL WELSH CAKES WITH BLUEBERRY COULIS
 CITRUS LAMINGTONS
Lamingtons are an Australian speciality that consists of two layers
of cake sandwiched with a sweet filling, cut into bite-size squares,
covered in chocolate and rolled in lots of coconut. Traditionalists
may think I have massacred the recipe, but I say what’s life without
a little variation? I have kept my favourite bit – the desiccated
coconut coating – but switched what’s inside to a simple citrus
madeira cake, with curd made out of the leftover tangy citrus juices.
And in case I haven’t changed things enough, my Lamingtons are
triangular rather than square!

Makes 16 slices 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4, and

line and grease a 20cm cake tin.
PREP 55 MINUTES
COOK 50 MINUTES 2. For the cake, beat the butter and sugar together,
using a freestanding or hand-held mixer, for 10
For the cake minutes, until the mixture is really fluffy and almost
175g unsalted butter , white in colour.
softened
3. Add the eggs gradually and incorporate well. Add
175g caster sugar
the zest and flour and fold in. Finally, mix in the milk.
3 medium eggs , lightly
beaten 4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level off
zest of 1 lemon the top. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the cake is
zest of 1 orange golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
zest of 1 lime 5. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then take
250g self-raising flour , out and cool on a wire rack. Once completely cold,
sifted wrap the cake in cling film and chill for 1 hour in the
3 tablespoons whole fridge. This makes it easier to cut neatly.
milk
100g desiccated 6. Meanwhile make the curd by putting the juice,
coconut sugar, butter, eggs, egg yolk and cornflour into a
small non-stick pan on a medium heat. Whisk all the
For the citrus curd time, until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened.
juice of the lemon , This will take about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and
orange and lime (see sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps.
above – the juice should
 make up 110ml) 7. Cover with cling film, making sure the film touches
150g caster sugar the top of the curd. This will stop a skin forming.
75g unsalted butter , Leave to cool completely.
melted
8. Take the cake out of the fridge, unwrap and slice
2 medium eggs
into 16 equal triangular wedges, using a sharp
1 egg yolk
serrated knife.
1 teaspoon cornflour
9. Place the desiccated coconut on a flat plate.
10. Taking one piece of cake at a time, brush all
over with the cooled curd (including the base), then
press into the coconut, making sure all sides are
generously covered.

Tip: The easiest and neatest way to cover and coat

your Lamingtons is to brush the base, outer edge
and top of each slice first, then dip into the coconut.
Then do the inner sides one at a time.
CITRUS LAMINGTONS
 MINI MILLIONAIRE’S CUPS
I’ve never been quite sure why millionaire’s shortbread is so called,
though I imagine it’s because it is extremely rich! But wherever the
name came from, you don’t have to be rich to eat it, or to make it.
With its crisp buttery base, topped with caramel and milk chocolate,
it takes shortbread to a whole new dimension. This is my version of
the biscuit-slash-dessert, but in individual cup-shaped portions.
They are easy to make and even easier to serve because there’s no
cutting involved.

Makes 12 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.

PREP 3½ HOURS, 2. Grease a standard cupcake tray and line the
INCLUDING COOLING base of each cup with a small round of baking
COOK 20 MINUTES paper. I’ve found that a 5cm cutter fits the base of a
standard cupcake tin, so I use that as a template to
For the shortbread mark 12 circles on baking paper, then cut them out.
125g unsalted butter , Once the base is lined with the paper circles, grease
room temperature, plus
extra for greasing
again. Set aside.
55g caster sugar 3. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix to a
180g plain flour , plus smooth paste. Add the flour and salt and bring the
extra for dusting dough together. Wrap in cling film and leave to chill
a pinch of salt for 15 minutes in the fridge.

For the caramel

4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1cm
thickness. Using the same 5cm cutter used to make
75g unsalted butter
the paper circles, cut out some rounds. Take any
75g soft brown sugar
trimmings and roll back together, then roll again and
½ x 397g tin of cut out more rounds. Do this till you have 12 rounds.
condensed milk
¼ teaspoon rock salt 5. Place each round of dough in the base of a
cupcake cup and push down against the edges of
For the chocolate the tin. Prick the dough with a fork – this will stop
300g milk chocolate , the shortbread puffing up.
melted
6. Bake for 16–18 minutes, until lightly golden
brown. Leave to cool in the tin.
7. Meanwhile, make the caramel. Put the butter and
sugar into a small non-stick pan, place on a medium
heat and stir till the sugar dissolves. Add the
condensed milk and keep stirring over a medium
heat for 3–5 minutes till the mixture thickens and
turns light golden brown. Take off the heat and mix in
the rock salt.
8. Quickly add a tablespoon of caramel to each of
the shortbread rounds and leave to set for 30
minutes.
9. Now put a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top
of each shortbread round and chill in the fridge for
45 minutes.
10. Use a knife to gently run around the edge of
each tin and take the millionaire’s shortbreads out.
Be sure to remove the baking paper from
underneath.
MINI MILLIONAIRE’S CUPS
 SALTED PRETZEL & HAZELNUT BARK
This bark may look complicated but it’s essentially just melted
chocolate scattered with toppings. Easy, right? And the more
creative you get, the fancier it looks. So let your imagination run
wild. This is my favourite combination – bitter dark chocolate and
sweet white chocolate marbled together, with saltiness from the
twisted pretzels and nuttiness from the roasted hazelnuts. It’s lovely
served as something sweet on the side, and also looks great broken
into chaotic shards and used as decoration on top of a cake.

Makes 1 large sheet 1. Start by melting the dark chocolate. I like to do

this in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in
PREP 25 MINUTES
between, or you can melt the chocolate in a bain-
COOLING 2 HOURS
marie set over a pan of simmering water.
300g dark chocolate , 2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the
melted melted dark chocolate on the paper in a thin and
75g white chocolate , even layer, but making sure not to spread the
melted
chocolate too thinly.
75g salted pretzels ,
any size 3. Now melt the white chocolate in the same way as
20g roasted hazelnuts before and immediately dollop drops of the melted
, chopped white chocolate on to the dark, using a skewer to
marble the top and run the two colours together.
Don’t be tempted to overdo it, or you will lose the
marbled effect.
4. Now place the pretzels on top, making sure to
push them in or they will pop out when you
eventually cut the shards.
5. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and leave to chill until
the chocolate has set and is firm.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut the chocolate into shards.
 FRESH JAM DOUGHNUTS
Doughnuts! Not the shop-bought kind, but fresh ones, made at
home. This is one of those recipes where you have to remember that
all good things take time and patience. It’s worth it for the warm,
sugary mouthfuls and the sweet smell in the air. I’d never thought
about making them myself until a few years ago when my mum
came round and I wanted to impress her with something other than
a Victoria sponge. She’s a hard woman to impress but she ate more
than one of these, which was compliment enough. My kids devoured
the rest – I can always count on them to make me feel better.

Makes 12 1. Place the flour in a mixing bowl, with the sugar

and yeast on one side and the salt on the other. Mix
PREP 2 HOURS 30
MINUTES to combine.
COOKING 25 2. Put the egg, warm milk and butter into a jug.
MINUTES Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and
pour in the liquid. If using a stand mixer, attach a
250g strong bread
flour , sifted dough hook and mix until a dough is formed. If doing
40g caster sugar
it by hand, first bring together using a spatula or the
end of a spoon, then get your hands in and combine
7g fast-action yeast
to make a dough.
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium egg , lightly 3. If you are using a stand mixer, now knead the
beaten dough for 5 minutes on high speed. If by hand,
150ml warm milk grease the work surface and knead for 10 minutes.
50g unsalted butter , You will know the dough is ready when it is smooth,
melted shiny and elastic.
1½ litres vegetable oil 4. Grease the inside of a bowl, put the dough in, and
50g vanilla sugar (or cover with cling film. Put in a warm place and leave
caster sugar)
to double in size. This can take about an hour,
350g jam , flavour of sometimes more, sometimes less – it really does
your choice
depend on the warmth of the room.
5. Once doubled in size, take the dough out and
knead for a minute to knock out all the air. Divide
into 12 equal pieces and shape into rounds. Place
on a greased baking tray and cover with a piece of
oiled cling film. Leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour till the
dough springs back when you prod with your finger.
6. Put the oil into a pan and heat to 190°C. The oil is
hot enough when you drop in a piece of bread and it
rises to the top, sizzling.
7. Fry a few doughnuts at a time – don’t overcrowd
the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, moving
them around gently in the oil.
8. Drain on kitchen paper, then, while they’re still
warm, toss them around in the vanilla sugar. Use a
knife to make a small hole in the side into the centre
of each one. Carefully pipe in the jam, being careful
not to overfill.
 BAKED CHURROS WITH A SAMOA DIP
I love churros but I try to avoid deep-frying, mostly because it takes
at least a day to rid my house of the oily smell. I’ve even tried
blocking the cracks round my doors with tea towels to stop the
smell escaping from the kitchen and creeping into other rooms. I
will fry if needs must, but I’m always looking for non-fried
alternatives like these baked churros. They are very popular in our
house, and even more so because of the Samoa dip that
accompanies them. Samoas are popular American girl scout cookies
of caramel, chocolate and toasted coconut, which I’ve used as
inspiration for this indulgent dip.

Makes 26 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and

cut two large rectangles of baking paper to fit two
PREP 60 MINUTES
baking trays.
COOK 25–30
MINUTES 2. Draw 13 parallel lines, each 8cm long, on each
sheet of paper, to use as a guide for piping the
For the churros churros. Turn the paper over and place one sheet on
100g unsalted butter , each baking tray with the pencil lines facing down
room temperature
(make sure you can see them through the paper).
250ml water
25g caster sugar
3. Put the butter, water, caster sugar and vanilla
extract into a small non-stick pan. Place on a high
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract heat and bring to the boil, then take off the heat
125g plain flour , sifted
immediately.
2 medium eggs , lightly 4. Add the flour and mix really well. The mixture
beaten should come together and look something like
30g caster sugar , for smooth mash.
coating
5. Slowly add the beaten egg, making sure to whisk
For the dip all the time. It will look like the mixture is separating,
150ml double cream but it isn’t. If you persevere it will become a smooth
125g full-fat cream paste. Use up all the egg. Transfer to a bowl and
cheese leave to cool for 15 minutes.
 1 heaped tablespoon 6. Attach a large star-tip nozzle to a piping bag.
ready-made caramel
Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, spoon
50g dark chocolate , into the piping bag. Using the pencil lines on the
roughly chopped or
grated paper as a guide, pipe 8cm lines about 2½ cm
20g toasted coconut
apart, then, using scissors, cut off the ends to get a
sharp finish.
7. Bake both trays of churros for 25–30 minutes,
until they are crisp and golden. Once baked, leave
on the trays for 5 minutes.
8. Spread the sugar on a flat plate, then dip in the
churros one by one and set aside.
9. For the dip, whip the cream to soft peaks. Put the
cream cheese into a separate bowl and mix till
smooth. Add the cream and mix together. Spoon in
the caramel and swirl through just enough so you get
nice ripples of caramel in the cream.
10. Just before serving, sprinkle the chocolate and
golden toasted coconut over the dip.
BAKED CHURROS WITH A SAMOA DIP
 MALT TIFFIN
My sister once made tiffin years ago, when we were all just starting
out in high school. I remember it was absolutely delicious, and I was
so impressed by how few ingredients it involved. Since then, I have
enjoyed experimenting with the recipe and adapting it to create new
flavour combinations. The recipe never strays from its simplicity but
I always find an excuse to incorporate my favourite chocolate treats.
This particular tiffin recipe has the distinct flavour of my favourite
malt drink, and – even better – it has my favourite chocolate malt
balls running through it too!

Makes 10–12 slices 1. Line a 23 x 12cm loaf tin with baking paper. If you
just line the base and the two longer sides with a
PREP 30 MINUTES
strip of paper, this will make it easier to pop the tiffin
COOLING 2 HOURS
out when it has set.
400g dark chocolate , 2. Put the dark chocolate, butter and malt extract
chopped or chips into a heatproof bowl, and place over a pan of water
200g unsalted butter , simmering on a low heat till the chocolate and butter
diced
have melted. Set aside to cool for a while.
4 tablespoons malt
extract (or golden 3. I like to crush the biscuits in a food processor, to
syrup) get fine crumbs. But you can put them into a ziplock
200g Rich Tea biscuits bag and use the end of a rolling pin to crush them
, crushed fine down if you prefer.
1 x 184g bag of
chocolate malt balls 4. Once the chocolate has cooled, add the crushed
3 tablespoons malt biscuits and mix until there are no more dry bits of
powder biscuit left.
5. Add the chocolate malt balls whole and give them
a thorough mix through. Drop the mixture into the tin
and press down firmly to make sure it is well
packed. Flatten on top and leave to set in the fridge
for at least 2 hours.
6. Take out of the tin before serving. Remove the
paper and dust with the malt powder. Cut into slices
and serve.
MALT TIFFIN
 Pudding
I firmly believe that everything in life should end with something sweet. I
grew up in a house where we never got dessert after dinner. My dad was
an avid eater of fruit. He would wash the microwave plate (because he
didn’t have another plate big enough) and chop up all the fruit that was
really overripe, so he didn’t have to throw it away. I’m sure he wanted us
to be healthy, but it was also because he had an eye for a bargain, and
would buy reduced food even if it was almost rotting. Don’t get me wrong:
we always had delicious sweet exotic fruits like sharon fruit, physalis,
pineapple, mango, jackfruit, all of which do taste better very ripe. But
really all we wanted was some pudding. That’s probably why we loved
school dinners so much. There was nothing nicer than filling your belly with
warm Victoria sponge and strawberry custard just before double maths.
In this chapter I share the pudding recipes that frequently fill the bellies of
the wonderful people in my life – and I know when they eat these they
smile from the inside. (Quite a different feeling to having very ripe fruit on
your inside!)
 ROSEMARY BANOFFEE PIE
A banoffee pie is a delicious thing, but whenever I have made one in
the past my brothers and sisters (barring two) have forever
complained about it being too sweet. In my head, it’s dessert, so it’s
meant to be sweet. I wanted to stop the moaning, so I decided to
create a banoffee pie that was still sweet and delicious and
everything it should be, but with a hint of fragrance from rosemary
to help balance it. They have since confirmed that they like this
version – I won’t tell them that I didn’t take any of the sugar out!

Serves 8 1. Grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line

the base with baking paper.
PREP 20 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING 2. Put the crushed biscuits and the melted butter into
COOK 5 MINUTES a bowl and mix well – the mixture should resemble
wet sand.
For the base
250g oaty sweet
3. Put the biscuit mixture into the lined tin and use
biscuits or digestives , the back of a spoon to press it into the base and
crushed to fine crumbs around the sides. Be sure to press down firmly to
100g unsalted butter compact the mixture. Put in the fridge to chill for 1
hour.
For the rosemary
caramel 4. To make the rosemary caramel, put the butter
100g unsalted butter and sugar into a non-stick pan and place on a high
100g molasses sugar
heat until the sugar has dissolved, making sure to
stir it all the time.
1 x 397g tin of
condensed milk 5. Add the condensed milk and bring to the boil,
large sprigs of fresh stirring all the time, then turn the heat down and
rosemary (approx. 10g), gently simmer for 1–2 minutes, until the mixture has
leaves removed and
roughly chopped thickened.
6. Take off the heat, beat the caramel for a few
For the filling
seconds with an electric hand whisk to make sure
4 small bananas , sliced it’s smooth, then add the chopped rosemary leaves.
300ml double cream
 2 tablespoons icing 7. Spread the caramel over the base of the tart and
sugar
place in the fridge for another hour.
fresh rosemary leaves ,
to decorate 8. Whip together the cream and icing sugar, using a
hand-held mixer, until the cream has thickened to
soft peaks.
9. Place the sliced bananas on top of the caramel,
top with the cream and sprinkle with rosemary
leaves.
ROSEMARY BANOFFEE PIE
 ALMOND & DATE MUFFINS
These muffins are inspired by sticky toffee pudding, one of those
desserts that can be steamed slowly and leisurely, which is the best
way sometimes. But we live in a time of instant gratification, and
much as I love the slow and drawn-out tradition of steamed puds, I
am also impatient and often want my ideas to materialize in front of
my eyes as fast as possible. These muffins are my solution – they
have all the moistness of a sticky date sponge, with a gentle hint of
almond, but they are so much faster to put together.

Makes 12 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Line

a 12-hole muffin tin with large paper muffin cases
PREP 40 MINUTES
(not cupcake cases, as they aren’t tall enough).
COOK 30 MINUTES
2. Put the pitted dates and hot tea into a jug and
For the muffins leave to soak until the tea is completely cold. Then
200g pitted dates blitz to a smooth paste, using a hand-held mixer.
250ml hot tea 3. Put the butter and molasses sugar into a bowl
125g unsalted butter , and mix until light and fluffy.
softened
200g molasses sugar 4. Add the maple syrup, eggs, almond extract and
2 tablespoons maple
the blended dates, and mix well, then add the flour
syrup and fold through.
3 medium eggs 5. Divide the mix between the paper cases and bake
2 teaspoons almond in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until the muffins have
extract puffed up and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
250g self-raising flour ,
sifted 6. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then take out the
muffins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
For the maple cream
7. To make the maple cream frosting, put the butter,
200g unsalted butter ,
icing sugar, milk and maple syrup into a bowl and
softened
whisk until light and fluffy. Pipe the mixture on top of
400g icing sugar , sifted
the cooled muffins.
2 tablespoons whole
milk 8. Divide the marzipan into 12 small pieces and roll
them into sausage shapes. Stuff each date with a
2 tablespoons maple piece of marzipan and top each muffin with a date.
syrup

For the decoration

25g golden marzipan
12 dates , pitted
ALMOND & DATE MUFFINS
 LEMON & BLACK CHIA DRIZZLE LOAF
This lemon drizzle loaf is a simple cake by anyone’s standards.
Lemon is often paired with poppy seeds, and while I agree that it’s a
great combination, here I’ve decided to change it up a little and use
black chia seeds instead. They still add that little extra crunch and
colour, plus they also provide extra fibre, for anyone who worries
about that sort of thing when it comes to cake!

Serves 8–10 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Grease an 8 x 21cm rectangular loaf tin (a 900g loaf
PREP 25 MINUTES
tin) and line it with baking paper.
COOK 1 HOUR
2. Using a stand or hand-held mixer, put the butter
For the loaf into a bowl with the sugar and beat until light and
225g unsalted butter , fluffy.
softened
3. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix
225g caster sugar
well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest.
4 medium eggs
zest of 2 lemons 4. Add the chia seeds to the sifted flour. Mix to
(reserve juice for later) distribute the seeds.
50g black chia seeds 5. Fold the dry mix into the wet mix, using a spatula,
225g self-raising flour , adding the milk to help loosen the mixture.
sifted
2 tablespoons whole 6. Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 55
milk minutes– 1 hour, until the cake is golden, risen, and
a skewer inserted comes out clean.
For the drizzle
7. Take the cake out of the oven and set aside, still
juice of the 2 lemons
above in the tin.
150g caster sugar 8. To make the drizzle, mix together the lemon juice
and sugar. Pour the drizzle all over the cake, then
leave to cool completely in the tin.
 SWEET SCONES WITH COCONUT
CREAM & PINK PEPPERCORN
PINEAPPLE JAM
There are many arguments had about scones. Are they from
Cornwall or Devon? What goes on first, cream or jam? Butter or no
butter? To sandwich or not? But I think all these arguments are
irrelevant. When you love a scone, who cares how you eat it? To
prove my point, here I’ve gone for something completely different, a
total reinvention of the classic, with whipped coconut cream instead
of clotted cream and fragrant pineapple jam instead of strawberry.

Makes 9 1. Start by making the jam. Put the pineapple, sugar,

lime leaves and peppercorns into a pan, set on a
PREP 40 MINUTES,
PLUS COOLING high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce to a
COOK 25 MINUTES
medium heat and let the mixture bubble.
2. You need the jam mixture to reach 105°C – this
For the jam should take about 4 minutes and you can test it with
1 x 435g tin of crushed a sugar thermometer. If you don’t have one, instead
pineapple (280g
drained weight)
place a plate in the freezer in advance. Place a drop
of the jam on the cold plate and leave for a few
280g jam sugar
seconds. Push it with your finger and if it wrinkles
9 dried kaffir lime
leaves , crushed
the jam is ready. Keep testing this way until you
have visible wrinkles. Transfer the jam to a bowl to
2 teaspoons pink
peppercorns , crushed cool completely.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and
For the scones
line a baking tray with baking paper.
350g self-raising flour ,
plus extra for dusting 4. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a
3 tablespoons caster large bowl, and mix roughly. Now add the butter and
sugar rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture
½ teaspoon baking resembles breadcrumbs.
powder
5. Make a well in the centre and add the milk. Mix
½ teaspoon salt
with a palette knife, then get your hands in and
 85g unsalted butter , gently bring the dough together.
cubed
185ml whole milk , plus 6. Turn the dough out on to a lightly dusted surface
extra for glazing and roll out to a 15 x 15cm square. Then cut into 9
squares, 5 x 5cm. Place on the baking tray, brush
For the coconut cream the tops with milk and bake on the middle shelf for
1 x 400g tin of coconut 12–15 minutes.
cream , from the fridge
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
7. While the scones are baking, make the coconut
paste cream. Scoop up the solidified cream at the top of
1 tablespoon icing the tin, getting rid of the liquid underneath, then whip
sugar the cream using a whisk. Add the vanilla bean paste
and icing sugar – it won’t change too much in
consistency but will just be fluffier and easier to
spoon. Leave in the fridge, covered, while you wait
for the scones.
8. Take the scones out of the oven and leave to cool
completely on a wire rack. Split and enjoy with
cream and jam, or jam and cream, in whichever
order you prefer.
 CARDAMOM RICE PUDDING BRÛLÉES
WITH MANGO, COCONUT & LIME
Lots of people seem to have bad memories of tepid rice pudding,
full of huge uncooked grains of rice and with a dollop of cold jam in
the middle. Well, that was my school dinner through and through,
and that’s how I thought rice pudding was meant to be. Until I tried
the tinned stuff and then I thought, ah, that’s how it’s meant to be.
Until I ate my little brother’s jar of baby rice and thought maybe
that’s what it was meant to taste like. Until I discovered a third way.
My sister and I were at a wedding where they served these delicious
tiny cold pots of rice pudding, and after devouring our own we set
off around the room to see who might want help with theirs. With
those pots in mind, I created this recipe. It’s a smoother rice
pudding with a delicate hint of cardamom, set until cold, then
topped with sugar and blowtorched for a crisp caramel top. If you
don’t like rice pudding, this might change your mind.

Serves 8 1. Soak the rice in the water for 1 hour. Transfer the
water and rice to a jug, then, using a stick blender,
PREP 15 MINUTES,
PLUS SOAKING AND blitz until the rice is ground to tiny pieces.
CHILLING
2. Put the rice and water mixture into a non-stick
COOK 25 MINUTES pan and turn the heat up to high. Add the cream and
the ground cardamom seeds and bring to the boil,
For the rice pudding
stirring continuously over a medium heat until
100g basmati rice
thickened. This should take only 15–20 minutes.
400ml cold water
600ml double cream
3. Take off the heat and leave to cool for 15
minutes, then stir in the sugar.
5 green cardamom
pods , crushed, husks 4. Divide the pudding between eight 150ml ramekins
removed and seeds
and flatten the tops, using the back of a spoon. Put
ground
the ramekins on a tray and chill for an hour.
100g caster sugar ,
plus 60g for the brûlée 5. Before serving, sprinkle 1½ teaspoons of sugar
on the top of each ramekin, spreading it out with the
For the mango,
 coconut and lime back of a spoon to make an even layer.
2 large mangoes
(approx. 500g), peeled 6. Brûlée using a blowtorch (make sure the ramekins
and cut into small are on a heat-resistant surface) until the top is
chunks golden brown and bubbling.
zest and juice of 1 lime
7. Mix the chopped mango with the lime zest and
25g toasted coconut
chips
juice, then stir in the coconut chips. Serve with the
rice pudding brûlées.

Tip: If you don’t have a blowtorch you can place the

ramekins under a grill to caramelise the tops, but
be sure to watch them all the time.
CARDAMOM RICE PUDDING BRÛLÉES WITH MANGO, COCONUT & LIME
 CHAI TEA BANANA CAKE
Banana in cake is for me the best way to use up very ripe and
unappealing bananas sitting in a bowl full of otherwise crisp fresh
fruit. The moisture with which the banana permeates the cake is like
no other. Here I’ve paired it with flavours of a traditional Indian chai,
and have also added another element of moisture, in the form of a
vanilla-flavoured cheesecake topping, to mimic the beautiful creamy
milky froth on top of a cup of chai.

Serves 8–12 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Grease the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin
PREP 25 MINUTES
and line with baking paper so that the paper comes
COOK 55 MINUTES–1
HOUR
a couple of centimetres above the side of the tin.
2. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and
For the cake beat for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
200g unsalted butter ,
softened 3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each
200g light brown sugar addition.
4 medium eggs 4. Add the bananas and lightly mix together to
2 ripe bananas , incorporate, then add the sifted flour, cinnamon,
mashed cardamom, ginger and baking powder, and mix well.
200g self-raising flour ,
sifted 5. Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin,
levelling off the top.
1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon 6. Put the mascarpone, egg yolk, vanilla, sugar and
1 teaspoon ground flour into a small bowl and mix well until everything is
cardamom (or ground
incorporated. Don’t beat it for too long, as it can
seeds from about 20
pods) become runny.
1 teaspoon ground 7. Make 5 hollows in the top of the cake mixture and
ginger spoon the mixture into them.
½ teaspoon baking
powder 8. Now bake in the oven for 50 minutes–1 hour,
covering the top with foil after 30 minutes to prevent
For the topping the cheesecake topping taking on too much colour.
150g mascarpone You will know the cake is baked when a skewer
 1 medium egg yolk inserted comes out clean.
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
paste 9. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then take
1 tablespoon caster
out of the tin and finish cooling on a rack. When
sugar cool, dust with icing sugar.
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon icing
sugar for dusting
 FLAPJACK CINNAMON APPLE
CRUMBLE WITH VANILLA CUSTARD
Most of my dessert memories involve a stainless steel kitchen and
large silver trays of steaming goodies in a very cold school canteen.
Never too sure about stewed fruit, when I first saw apple crumble in
those trays, I prepared myself for the worst. But it was delicious! I
always prayed not to get the custard skin that formed under the
heat lamps. If I did, it was a straight swap with my best friend, who
loved it. Apple crumble is now a go-to in our house. I’ve added a
few spices and abandoned the powdered custard, but it’s still as
heart- and belly-warming as it was back then. I’m just grateful I
don’t have PE straight after.

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2.

Spread the oats on a large baking tray and toast in
PREP 40 MINUTES
the oven for 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until they
COOK 1 HOUR 35
MINUTES
are golden in colour.
2. Once toasted, put the oats into a bowl and add
For the flapjack the lemon zest. Leave the oven on.
crumble
250g porridge oats 3. Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan and place
2 teaspoons lemon zest on a medium heat until the butter has melted and the
125g unsalted butter
sugar has dissolved. Pour over the oats in the bowl,
give it a good mix and set aside.
100g muscovado sugar
100g golden syrup 4. Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks. Put
the prepared apples, butter, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon
For the apples of sugar and the lemon juice into a pan. Cook for
1kg Granny Smith or about 10 minutes on a medium heat, until the apples
cooking apples have softened slightly.
40g unsalted butter
5. Stir in the cornflour and raisins, then taste for
1 teaspoon cinnamon
sweetness and add the other 1 tablespoon of sugar
1–2 tablespoons if you like. Tip into a 25cm square or round baking
muscovado sugar
dish. Cover the apples with the oat mixture.
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon cornflour 6. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40–45
150g raisins minutes.
For the vanilla custard 7. Meanwhile, make the custard. Put the milk and
600ml whole milk
vanilla into a pan and bring to the boil, then leave on
a simmer.
1 tablespoon vanilla
bean extract 8. Put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour into a
4 egg yolks separate bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk until
20g caster sugar the mixture is light. Slowly add the warm milk in a
2 teaspoons cornflour steady stream, making sure to whisk all the time.
Once all the milk is added, pour it all back into the
pan and stir gently with a spoon till the mixture
thickens.
9. Pour straight into a serving jug and, if there is a
wait, cover with cling film, making sure the film
touches the top of the custard (unless you like a
skin, in which case by all means leave it exposed).
Serve the crumble with the custard alongside.
 MANGO & PASSION FRUIT JAM ROLY-
POLY
I don’t remember ever eating a jam roly-poly as a child, but my
husband does. So when he told me, ‘I used to eat jam roly-poly at
school,’ that for me was a challenge right there! Why have any old
jam roly-poly when you can have a mango and passion fruit one?
This is a steamed pudding the old-fashioned way, but with a modern
tropical twist. The jam recipe here makes about 500g and only about
a third of it is needed for the roly-poly but it’s tricky to make in
much smaller quantities. The good news is that it keeps really well
in a jar in the fridge, so you’ll have some left over for another time.

Serves 6–8 1. For the jam, put the mango, passion fruit pulp and
sugar into a pan and stir to combine, then bring the
PREP 45 MINUTES
mixture to the boil.
COOK 1 HOUR
2. Bring the mixture to 105°C, then take off the heat
For the jam and place in a bowl to cool completely.
220g mango , finely
chopped
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C
fan/gas 4 and place a deep roasting dish in the
80g passion fruit pulp
(this is the pulp of 3 bottom, making sure there is a shelf directly above
passion fruit) – all in all it. Place a large sheet of foil on your work surface.
you want to make up Place a large sheet of greaseproof paper on top of
300g of fruit combined
it, the same size, and grease the top of the paper all
300g jam sugar over.
For the suet pastry 4. Put the flour into a bowl with the butter and suet
250g self-raising flour , and rub with your fingertips until the mixture
plus extra for dusting resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre
50g unsalted butter , and add the milk, then bring the dough together.
plus extra for greasing
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a
50g vegetable suet
square roughly 30 x 30cm. Spread about 150g of
150ml whole milk
the jam all over the square, leaving just the edges
bare. (Store the remaining jam in a jar in the fridge
to use for something else.)
6. Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll, and seal the
long seam and the edges tightly. Place on the
buttered paper, seam-side down.
7. Wrap the roll in the paper and foil loosely, as it
will expand in the oven. Seal the edges, then place
directly on the oven shelf and bake for 1 hour.
8. Leave in the wrapping for 10 minutes after
baking, then unravel, slice and serve. We like to eat
this hot out of the oven with cold ice cream, or, if
we’re being nostalgic for my husband’s sake, we
have it with custard.
MANGO & PASSION FRUIT JAM ROLY-POLY
 BUTTERSCOTCH BISCUIT BLONDIES
A blondie is not an homage to an 80s singer, it’s the opposite of a
brownie. By which I mean it’s essentially a brownie recipe, but turns
out a pale golden colour, rather than dark brown. These ones
include pecans and butterscotch chips, plus a bonus layer of biscuit
in the base that gives the old blondie a little something extra to
scream and shout about.

Makes 16 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Line

the base and sides of a rectangular cake tin, 30 x
PREP 25 MINUTES
23cm, with baking paper.
COOK 50 MINUTES
2. Place the crushed biscuits in a bowl with the
For the base melted butter and mix till there is no more dry
500g malted milk biscuit.
biscuits , crushed
3. Put the mixture into the prepared tin, then, using
200g unsalted butter ,
melted the palms of your hands, push the biscuit mix down
so it is compact.
For the blondie top
4. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then take out
225g unsalted butter , and leave to cool while you prepare the blondie top.
softened
225g caster sugar 5. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, butterscotch
4 medium eggs chips and pecans into a bowl and mix together for 2
150g plain flour
minutes, until well combined.
200g butterscotch 6. Spoon the mixture on top of the baked biscuit
chips base and put back into the oven for 30 minutes, then
100g pecans , roughly take out and leave to cool for 30 minutes in the tin.
chopped
7. Cut into chunks and serve.
BUTTERSCOTCH BISCUIT BLONDIES
 STRAWBERRY & MINT BAKED
CHEESECAKE
I’m sure we’ve all sat at a dinner table and discussed which is
better: baked cheesecake or the non-baked kind. No? Well, I have
had that discussion even if you haven’t, and the realization that all
my diners unanimously preferred a baked cheesecake came just as I
was a breath away from presenting the ‘other’ kind! I’m happy to
say the cheesecake was consumed all the same, of course, but the
incident made me sit up in bed scouring books for recipes. Not an
unfamiliar scene in my bed. Since then, I’ve come to absolutely love
the gentle nature of baking a cheesecake. It’s slow but the results
are velvety smooth and worth the wait. This baked cheesecake is
topped with a deliciously fragrant strawberry and mint compote.

Serves 8–12 1. Grease the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed cake

tin, making sure to secure the base (trust me, you
PREP 30 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING don’t want to go there!). Make sure to grease the
COOK 1 HOUR 30
sides well too. Line the base of the tin with baking
MINUTES paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
For the base
150g digestive biscuits 3. Put the crushed biscuits and melted butter into a
, crushed to fine crumbs bowl and mix until the mixture resembles wet sand
75g unsalted butter , and there are no dry clumps remaining.
melted
4. Put the mixture into the cake tin and use the
For the filling palms of your hands to push it down until it is all
900g full-fat cream compact and tight in the base.
cheese
5. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 minutes, then
200g caster sugar remove and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven to
200ml double cream 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3.
3 tablespoons plain
flour 6. Put the cream cheese, caster sugar and double
cream into a large bowl. Mix to soften the mixture so
3 eggs
it’s all viscous.
 1 egg yolk 7. Now add the flour, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla
2 tablespoons vanilla paste and mix again, to get a smooth, even batter.
bean paste
8. Put the kettle on to boil. Wrap the outside of the
For the compote cake tin with two layers of foil to make sure it’s
400g strawberries , completely watertight, then place the tin in a large
hulled and quartered roasting dish and fill the dish with boiling water to
80g caster sugar come halfway up the outside of the cake tin.
1½ tablespoons lemon 9. Pour in the cheesecake mixture on top of the
juice
biscuit base, then cover the roasting tin with a large
a large handful of fresh
mint (approx. 10g), finely
tent of foil, securing it around the edges of the tin –
chopped this will keep the steam in as the cheesecake bakes.
10. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. You will know it
is ready when it’s golden and firm around the edge
but still has a slight wobble in the centre. If it’s still
very wobbly, bake for another 10–15 minutes,
checking it often.
11. Once the cheesecake is baked, turn off the
oven, open the oven door wide and leave the
cheesecake in there for 2 hours. It will become
firmer as it cools.
12. After 2 hours, take the cheesecake out of the
oven and out of the roasting tin and put it into the
fridge overnight.
13. To prepare the compote, put the strawberries
into a pan with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook for
about 10–12 minutes on a medium heat, until the
sugar has melted and the sauce has reduced
slightly. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and leave to
cool completely, then stir in the fresh mint.
14. Take the cheesecake out of the fridge, transfer
to a serving plate or stand, and top with the
strawberry and mint compote.
 ORANGE SCENTED POLENTA CAKE
WITH ROSEMARY, THYME &
PISTACHIOS
Polenta is an Italian maize flour that works brilliantly in cakes. It has
quite a unique texture but not much in the way of its own flavour,
which means it can carry other tastes and flavours really well,
especially citrus. When baked in a cake, it produces a sturdy
structure and acts like a hidden sponge, drawing in all the delicious
flavour from the thyme and orange syrup that it gets drizzled with
here. The shiny, nutty, floral icing is a pretty finishing touch.

Serves 6–8 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.

Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base and
PREP 25 MINUTES
sides with baking paper.
COOK 1 HOUR
2. Whisk the olive oil and sugar together, using an
For the cake electric beater, for about 5 minutes, until well
180ml mild olive oil combined.
220g caster sugar 3. Add a little of the ground almonds and mix well.
300g ground almonds Add 1 egg and mix well. Then add a little more
3 large eggs ground almonds, mix, and repeat, adding an egg and
zest of 4 mandarins more ground almonds until both are used up.
(save juice for the syrup,
see below) 4. Mix in the mandarin zest, rosemary and orange
1 tablespoon fresh blossom water.
rosemary leaves , finely
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the polenta and
chopped
baking powder. Add to the wet ingredients and fold
1 tablespoon orange
blossom water through until everything is incorporated well.
150g ground polenta 6. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, spread to
1 teaspoon baking the edges and level off the top. Bake on the middle
powder shelf of the oven for 30 minutes, then turn the heat
down to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and bake for a
For the syrup and icing
further 25–30 minutes. The cake should be a deep
 juice of 4 mandarins golden brown and a skewer inserted should come
4 tablespoons runny out clean.
orange blossom honey
5 sprigs of fresh l emon
7. Meanwhile, for the syrup, put the mandarin juice,
thyme honey and thyme sprigs into a pan and warm
50g icing sugar, sifted through gently so that the honey and juice mix
100–120ml pistachio or
together – don’t let the mixture boil. Take off the
walnut oil heat and set aside, leaving the thyme sprigs to
1 teaspoon orange infuse until you are ready to use the syrup.
blossom water
8. When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven
25g pistachio nibs or and poke holes all over it, using a skewer. Leave to
peeled pistachios , for
decoration cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle all the syrup (remove the
thyme sprigs) over the cake while it is still warm.
Leave in the tin for about 30 minutes, to cool almost
completely, then remove from the tin.
9. Meanwhile, mix together the icing sugar, pistachio
oil and orange blossom water with a small whisk
until you reach a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over
the cooled cake and sprinkle with the pistachio nibs.
ORANGE SCENTED POLENTA CAKE WITH ROSEMARY, THYME & PISTACHIOS
 PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE STACK
My husband Abdal and I ate something very full of peanut butter a
long time ago and he has been asking me to make something similar
for a while. Did I give him what he wanted? Of course, even though
I had a million other things to bake and a million other ideas to
create. But writing the recipes for this chapter seemed like the
perfect opportunity to satisfy his peanut butter needs.

Serves 10 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.

Grease the base and sides of two 23 x 33cm Swiss
PREP 45 MINUTES
roll tins. Line with baking paper.
COOK 20 MINUTES
2. Put the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a mixer
For the cake and beat for about 8 minutes till lighter in colour and
6 medium eggs tripled in volume. Lift the beaters and swirl the
170g caster sugar mixture in a figure of 8 – if the shape remains on the
170g plain flour surface for more than 8 seconds, the eggs are
40g cocoa powder
ready.
1 teaspoon baking 3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking
powder powder, then fold into the egg mix using a metal
spoon, making sure not to lose all the air you
For the ganache
worked so hard to create. When no more flour
200g dark chocolate particles can be seen, divide the mixture between
chips (70% cocoa
solids) the two tins, easing it into the corners.
200ml double cream 4. Bake the cakes for 10 minutes. Once ready, turn
them out of the tins, using the paper to help, and
For the caramel leave to cool on a wire rack.
100g butter
5. To make the ganache, put the chocolate chips into
100g light brown sugar
a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil in a small pan,
1 x 397g tin of
condensed milk
pour it over the chocolate and give it a stir. Allow the
heat of the cream to gently melt the chocolate. Stir
1 teaspoon salt
again after 5 minutes and you should have a glossy
150ml double cream
smooth ganache. Set aside to cool.
To assemble
300g crunchy peanut 6. To make the caramel, put the butter and sugar
butter
into a pan on a medium heat. Once the sugar has
2 tablespoons cocoa melted, add the condensed milk and turn the heat up
powder
to high, making sure to stir all the time.
7. Bring the mixture to the boil, then cook for 2
minutes on a high heat. Take off the heat, stir in the
salt and cream, and set aside to cool. Once the
mixture has thickened to a spreading consistency,
transfer to a bowl to cool.
8. Ensure all the components are completely cool
before starting to assemble. Peel the paper off the
cakes and cut them both down the middle vertically,
to get 4 long thin rectangles. Spread the first slice
with peanut butter, then with ganache. Chill for a few
minutes before adding a layer of caramel.
9. Top with the next layer of cake and repeat the
fillings, till you have three layers of filling and the
fourth layer of cake is on top. Dust the cake with
cocoa powder and cut into long thin slices.
 ROSE, RASPBERRY & COCONUT FOOL
I always seem to have cream and fruit in the fridge, just two of the
many ingredients I tend to buy too much of and never learn my
lesson about. What better way to use them up than to make a fool –
not out of you or me, but out of the ingredients! (Unless of course
you over-whip the cream, and then who’s the fool?) This simple
dessert involves deliciously stewed raspberries rippled through a
sweet rose-flavoured cream and topped with toasted coconut.

Makes 6 x 150ml pots 1. Put the raspberries and 50g of sugar into a pan
and add the lemon juice. Press the berries lightly
PREP 15 MINUTES
with the back of a fork, but be sure not to break
COOK 15 MINUTES
them down completely. You want a few chunks of
450g raspberries , plus
fruit. Cook on a medium heat for 10–15 minutes,
an extra 150g for the top until the mixture thickens, then take off the heat and
50g caster sugar set aside to cool completely.
a squeeze of lemon 2. Meanwhile, put the cream into a bowl with the 5
juice tablespoons of sugar and whip to soft peaks. Add
300ml double cream the yoghurt and rose water and whip again gently.
5 tablespoons caster
sugar 3. Pour in the cooled raspberry mixture and ripple
100ml Greek yoghurt
through, using the back of a knife.
2–3 tablespoons rose 4. Spoon the mixture into six 150ml pots and leave
water to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
30–50g toasted
coconut flakes 5. Before serving, top with some extra raspberries,
a small handful of
toasted coconut flakes and crystallized rose petals.
crystallized rose
petals
 MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM
SANDWICHES
What’s better than a cookie? Two cookies, of course! But what’s
better than two cookies? Well, two cookies with ice cream in
between! I think that’s enough said – shall we continue?

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Line

two baking trays with baking paper.
PREP 30 MINUTES,
PLUS FREEZING 2. Put the butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer
COOK 20 MINUTES and beat until the mixture is almost white. Add the
egg and egg yolk and mix well.
For the cookies
170g unsalted butter ,
3. Put the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking
softened powder into a bowl and whisk together so they are
300g light brown sugar well combined.
1 medium egg 4. Add the wet mix to the dry mix, along with the
1 egg yolk dark chocolate chips, and mix to combine. The
200g plain flour , sifted mixture will be quite stiff.
50g cocoa powder , 5. Divide into 12 equal mounds (about 65g each) on
sifted
the lined baking trays, leaving a space between
a pinch of salt them of about 5cm, so they have room to spread.
½ teaspoon baking Try to keep the mounds the same shape, so they
powder
are easy to pair up when sandwiching.
100g dark chocolate ,
chopped or chips 6. Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes. Once baked,
leave on the tray to cool completely.
For the chocolate chip
ice cream 7. Meanwhile, take out the ice cream and allow it to
900ml vanilla ice cream soften just very slightly. Transfer it to a bowl and
(450g in weight) add the peppermint extract, green food colouring
2 teaspoons and chocolate chips. Mix till all the ice cream is
peppermint extract green. This is easiest with an electric hand whisk, if
a few drops of green you have one, otherwise do it by hand.
food colouring
100g milk chocolate 8. Put the ice cream back into the freezer, ideally in
chips
a shallow container, and leave for 30 minutes or until
it has set again.
9. Sort the chocolate cookies into pairs. Divide the
ice cream between 6 of the cookies and sandwich
together with the other 6.
10. Squeeze the cookies so as to distribute the ice
cream evenly, and eat.
MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
 RHUBARB & CUSTARD ICE CREAM
SANDWICHES
My family often profess their love for ice cream, and much as I love
making a proper churned version from scratch, I also enjoy an easy
way out. This ice cream recipe is the easy type: a simple no-churn
variety, rippled with tangy rhubarb compote, then sandwiched
between two crisp custardy biscuits.

Serves 4 (makes about 1. Put the rhubarb, sugar, lime juice and glucose into
850ml ice cream) a small non-stick pan and cook gently for 10–12
PREP 25 MINUTES, minutes, until the rhubarb has softened and broken
PLUS CHILLING AND down. Take off the heat and transfer to another
FREEZING bowl. Add the rhubarb essence, stir and leave to
COOK 35 MINUTES cool completely.

For the rhubarb 2. Meanwhile, make the ice cream by combining the
compote condensed milk, cream, vanilla and glucose. Whisk
100g rhubarb , cut into the mixture until it forms soft peaks.
2.5 cm pieces
3. Add the cooled rhubarb mixture and fold through
20g caster sugar
to create a ripple effect. Transfer to a container with
juice of ½ a lime a lid, place the container in a ziplock bag and freeze
1 teaspoon liquid for at least 4 hours.
glucose
5 drops of rhubarb 4. Meanwhile, get started on the biscuits. Put the
essence butter and sugar into a bowl. Mix together, then add
the egg and the almond extract and mix again. Add
For the ice cream the flour and custard powder and mix to form a
½ x 397g tin of dough. Flatten the dough, wrap in cling film, and
sweetened condensed leave to chill for an hour.
milk
300ml double cream 5. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and
1 teaspoon vanilla line a baking tray with baking paper.
extract
6. Unwrap the dough and roll out on a floured work
2 teaspoons liquid surface to ¾ cm thick. Using a 6. 5cm round
glucose
straight-edged cutter, cut out circles. Collect the
 For the custard offcuts, roll again and cut out more circles until you
biscuits
have used all the dough. You should have 8 biscuits,
75g unsalted butter , to make 4 sandwiches.
softened
75g caster sugar 7. Place them on the baking tray, prick them with a
1 medium egg , lightly fork to stop them rising too much, and bake for 20–
beaten 22 minutes until lightly golden but visibly yellow from
½ teaspoon almond the custard powder.
extract
8. Leave to cool completely on the tray. Once cool,
100g plain flour , sifted,
plus extra for dusting
take large scoops of ice cream and sandwich each
scoop between 2 biscuits.
75g custard powder
 SUMMER FRUIT SEMIFREDDO
This is my take on a summer pudding. I like to use frozen berries
that I’ve got stashed away from pick-your-own summer afternoons
with the kids. This is a perfect way of using them up. Like a classic
summer pudding, I soak the bread, but instead of filling it with just
fruit, my version is filled with fruit and also a quick and easy
semifreddo. It’s not only delicious to eat but really beautiful to cut
into.

Serves 6 1. Put the frozen fruit, sugar and water into a

medium pan and bring to the boil, then take off the
PREP 45 MINUTES
heat. You don’t want the fruit to break down too
FREEZE 3 HOURS
much but you want to extract as much liquid as
400g frozen mixed
possible.
summer fruits 2. Drain the fruit through a sieve, making sure to
100g caster sugar catch all the liquid in a bowl. Use the back of a
3 tablespoons water spoon to push through as much liquid as possible.
7 slices of white bread Then leave the liquid to cool completely.
(about 170g), crusts
removed, halved 3. Line a 20cm round Pyrex dish with cling film.
lengthways
4. Dip each piece of bread quickly into the fruit juice
600ml double cream
mixture and place around the edge of the dish
2 tablespoons golden vertically, slightly overlapping each piece with the
syrup
next to prevent leaking. Do this all around the edges
– you should have one piece left. Break that piece
down to size, then dip it in the fruit juice and place it
in the base of the dish. Set aside.
5. Whip the double cream to soft peaks, then add
the golden syrup and mix well. Add the fruit and just
ripple through gently.
6. Put the cream mixture into the lined bowl and
spread it level on top. If any of the bread pieces
come up higher than the top of the cream, simply
fold them over. Cover the top with cling film and
place in the freezer for 3 hours.
7. To turn out, tip on to a plate and remove all the
cling film. Cut into wedges and serve.
SUMMER FRUIT SEMIFREDDO
 APPLE, FIG, BRIE & HONEY STRUDEL
My brother-in-law’s favourite dessert in the whole wide world is
strudel, which he usually buys frozen from the supermarket freezer
aisle. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with ready-made
desserts, I enjoy making him my own versions to see if I can create
one that he likes even better. Granted, I don’t make the pastry in
this recipe, but I’m also a firm believer that there is absolutely
nothing wrong with a bit of shop-bought pastry – it’s how you plait
it here that really makes the difference.

Serves 6–8 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and

place a baking tray in the oven.
PREP 40 MINUTES
COOK 30 MINUTES 2. The pastry should come rolled, with baking paper
already around it. Unravel the pastry and lay it on
1 x 320g pack of ready- the work surface, on its paper.
rolled puff pastry
1 green apple (approx.
3. Make two light scoring marks along the pastry to
90g), cored and thinly divide the piece lengthways into three equal strips
sliced (don’t actually cut through, as you need it all to stay
2 figs (or 4 if small) joined together), then make a mark 5cm in from both
(approx. 80g), thinly ends of each score mark. Cut from the 5cm mark as
sliced
shown here , to remove a small section of pastry
90g Brie , sliced from each corner, which will leave a small central
30ml honey rectangular flap at each end.
1 egg , lightly beaten
4. Starting from the 5cm mark, make parallel angled
2 tablespoons demerara
cuts in the two outside strips of pastry, 2.5cm apart,
sugar
leaving the central strip untouched and ready to fill.
1 tablespoon icing
sugar 5. Chill the prepared pastry in the fridge for 15
minutes.
6. Lay the apple on top of the chilled pastry base,
down the central strip. Now add the figs, followed by
the Brie. Drizzle the honey all over.
7. Fold over the rectangular flap of pastry at one
end. Then alternate the pastry strips over the filling
until you reach the end, and finish by folding over the
second rectangular flap.
8. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle
with the sugar.
9. Take the hot baking tray out of the oven and place
the pastry, still on its baking paper, on the tray. Bake
for 25–30 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the
tray. Dust with a little icing sugar to finish.
APPLE, FIG, BRIE & HONEY STRUDEL
 Something Special
The puddings in the previous chapter are for everyday eating, to end any
meal. But when it comes to special occasions, there’s something
wonderful about giving up your time to create a showstopping dessert or
cake that is that both beautiful and delicious. No present can really
compare to that moment when you walk into the room with something a
little bit special, be it frosted, coated, towering, piled with decorations or
sparkling with glitter. It’s the kind of gift that instantly says, ‘I love you.’ So
this is a collection of some of my favourite sweet bakes, desserts and
treats that will instantly show your guests and loved ones that you went
out of your way to make an effort.
 TIRAMISÙ CAKE
My hot drink of choice has always been a good cup of Yorkshire tea,
lightly brewed with a splash of milk. It’s my favourite treat first
thing in the morning, and as soon as the babies have settled into
bed. Cuppa, cuddles and the comfort of my sofa. Unless of course
Abdal sits down next to me with a cup of his strong-brewed coffee,
hot out of his special coffee machine. The smell of strong coffee
makes my stomach turn, and has done since my third pregnancy, but
strangely enough I can just about bear the pain if I know it’s about
to be mixed into cake, or tiramisù. Or – best of all – tiramisù cake.
Need I say more?

Serves 8 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Grease the base of two 20cm round springform
PREP 45 MINUTES,
PLUS COOLING AND cake tins and line with baking paper.
CHILLING
2. Line the base of each tin with the sponge fingers,
COOK 35 MINUTES sugary side facing down. As you line, make sure to
cut, carve and get the fingers to the right length to fit
For the cake
all the gaps in the base. If the fingers are tightly
225g unsalted butter ,
softened, plus extra for
packed this will stop them rising to the top while
greasing baking. So take your time, making sure you fill as
240g sponge fingers many of the gaps as possible.
(approx. 36)
3. Once you have done this, set aside and get
60ml whole milk started on the coffee mixture. Put the milk and
3 tablespoons instant coffee into a small pan and warm just until the coffee
coffee
has dissolved into the milk. Leave the mixture to one
225g light brown sugar side to cool completely.
4 medium eggs
4. Put the butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer,
225g self-raising flour ,
sifted or use an electric hand-held mixer, and beat until it is
light, fluffy and almost white in colour. This can take
1 teaspoon baking
powder 10 minutes on a medium to high speed. You can also
100ml boiling water mix by hand, but it will take a bit longer.
4 tablespoons instant 5. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to
coffee
incorporate them well, then add the flour and baking
3 tablespoons cocoa powder and fold through until well combined. Add
powder
the coffee mixture and fold that in too.
For the vanilla 6. Divide the mixture between the two tins and
mascarpone cream
spread it all over the sponge fingers that you’ve laid
300ml double cream down so precisely. Level off the top and bake for
50g caster sugar 30–35 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out
250g full-fat clean.
mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla
7. When the cakes are baked you will find that they
bean paste don’t have a smooth surface like a normal cake
does. Instead, there will be small bubbles all over
the surface. This is just the air from the sponge
fingers and is nothing to worry about. You may even
have a rogue sponge finger that has come to the
top, but that doesn’t matter too much.
8. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins, then turn out
on to a wire rack to cool completely, sponge finger
side up.
9. When the cakes are completely cool, put the
boiling water and the coffee into a small jug or bowl
and stir to dissolve. Brush the tops of the cakes (the
sides with the sponge fingers exposed) with the hot
coffee mixture. Be sure to use up all of the liquid.
10. Make the vanilla mascarpone cream just before
assembling. Put the cream and sugar into a bowl
and whisk until it has just thickened very slightly.
11. Now put the mascarpone and vanilla bean paste
into another bowl and whisk to loosen the
mascarpone. This way it will incorporate better with
the cream.
12. Fold the cream into the mascarpone.
13. Take one of the springform tins you baked the
cake in and grease the inside again. Line generously
with cling film, making sure there is an overhang.
You will need 2 pieces of cling film that criss-cross.
14. Put one cake back into one of the tins, sponge
finger side up. The cake won’t be snug, as it will
have shrunk while baking. Dust half the cocoa
powder over the top of the cake. Spoon on all the
mascarpone cream and make sure it is levelled off
completely, using a spatula.
15. Now add the second cake, sponge finger side
up. Make sure to press the cake down slightly so
that all the layers meld together.
16. Place a circle of baking paper on top, wrap in
the cling film, and chill until it’s time to serve.
17. Just before you are ready to serve, dust the top
of the cake with the remainder of the cocoa powder.
Serve straight away.
TIRAMISÙ CAKE
 ETON MESS CHEESECAKE
Though I love a baked cheesecake, I also love the ease of a
cheesecake that sets in the fridge. Since the cake itself is simple to
make, it gives me lots more time for creating decorations, like the
beautiful meringue kisses and dehydrated strawberries that jazz up
the top of this one.

Serves 10–12 1. Lightly grease a loose-bottomed 23cm round

cake tin and line with baking paper.
PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS
CHILLING 2. Put the crushed biscuits in a bowl with the melted
COOK 1 HOUR, PLUS butter. Mix till it resembles wet sand. Empty into the
COOLING cake tin and pack tightly with the back of a spoon,
then place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
For the cheesecake
250g digestive biscuits 3. Whip the cream to soft peaks with the icing sugar
, crushed and vanilla. Put the cream cheese into another bowl
100g unsalted butter , and stir to slacken.
melted
4. Add the cream mix to the cream cheese, along
300ml double cream
with the strawberries, and fold together gently. Add
100g icing sugar
to the chilled base and level off. Chill in the fridge
1 tablespoon vanilla while you prepare everything else.
bean paste
600g full-fat cream 5. To make the strawberry sauce, put the
cheese strawberries, icing sugar and lemon juice into a
18g freeze-dried mixer and pulse to a purée. Transfer to a bowl and
strawberry pieces set aside in the fridge.
For the sauce 6. For the meringues, preheat the oven to
200g strawberries , 120°C/100°C/gas ½ and line a baking tray with
hulled baking paper. Fit a piping bag with a 1.5cm star tip
15g icing sugar nozzle and turn inside out. Stand it in a tall glass or
1 teaspoon lemon juice jug.
7. Put the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk.
For the mini
meringues
After 2 minutes they should be frothy and increased
in volume. Gradually add the sugar, a little at a time,
50g egg whites (from 1– whisking constantly to form stiff peaks.
2 large eggs)
100g caster sugar 8. Using a brush and red food colouring, paint the
red gel food colouring
inside of the piping bag with stripes, starting at the
tip and painting up as far as you will fill the bag. Fill
For the decoration the bag with the meringue mix and pipe little kisses
15 strawberries , whole on to the tray. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the
100g white chocolate ,
oven, open the door and leave the meringues inside
melted for another hour.
10 dehydrated 9. Remove the meringues from their tray and turn
strawberry slices ,
sprayed with gold lustre
the baking paper over. Holding the strawberries by
(optional) the stalk, dip them three-quarters of the way into the
white chocolate. Place on the tray to set – you can
put the tray in the fridge to speed this up.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge, take
out of the tin, and place on a presentation plate or
stand. Decorate just before serving: pour over
enough sauce to just cover the top (you may not
need it all), and top with chocolate strawberries,
mini meringues and lustred dehydrated strawberry
slices.
ETON MESS CHEESECAKE
 COCONUT & BLUEBERRY TARTS
Any baking enthusiasts out there will know it takes time, effort and
a whole lot of love to make 12 individual tarts. While it can be fiddly
lining the tins with pastry, I promise you it’s worth the trouble, not
least for the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ of your recipients when they see all
the effort you’ve gone to. This creamy, coconutty filling works so
well with the tart fresh blueberries. You’ll need 12 tartlet tins, about
10cm in diameter, for this recipe.

Makes 12 1. Put the flour and butter into a food processor and
blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS
CHILLING 2. Add the sugar, the whole egg and the extra egg
COOK 40 MINUTES, yolk and blitz again until the dough turns into a
PLUS COOLING clump. At this point stop the machine, otherwise the
dough will become tough. Take out the dough, flatten
For the pastry
and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
350g plain flour , plus
extra for dusting 3. Meanwhile make the coconut cream. Heat the
175g unsalted butter , milk in a pan until it just reaches a simmer, then turn
cubed off the heat. Put the egg yolks, caster sugar and
125g caster sugar cornflour into a bowl and whisk to combine.
1 large egg , plus 1 extra
egg yolk
4. Gently pour the warm milk into the egg mixture in
a steady stream, whisking all the time. Once all the
1 egg yolk , for egg
wash milk has been used, pour the mixture back into the
pan and whisk on a low heat until it thickens enough
For the coconut cream that it will not run off a spoon. Take off the heat, stir
500ml whole milk in the coconut, then transfer to a bowl to cool.
6 large egg yolks 5. Take the pastry out of the fridge and lightly dust
120g caster sugar the worktop with flour. Roll the pastry as thinly as
50g cornflour possible, about 3mm. Using a tartlet tin as a guide,
75g desiccated cut out circles to fit the tins with a little bit of
coconut overhang. Press the pastry into the tins and prick
each base a few times with a fork.
For the topping
300g fresh blueberries 6. Place a small square of greaseproof paper in
40g toasted coconut each tin, on top of the pastry. Fill with baking beans
chips and place all the tins in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2 tablespoons icing
sugar , for dusting 7. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
Place the tins on baking trays and bake for 15
minutes, then take out of the oven and remove the
paper and beans.
8. Brush inside each pastry shell with beaten egg
yolk and put back in the oven for 5 minutes. Leave
to cool in the tins for 15 minutes.
9. Carefully cut off the excess pastry from around
the edges and take the cases out of the tins. Leave
on a wire rack to cool completely then fill each
tartlet case with coconut cream, top with blueberries
and coconut chips, and dust with icing sugar.
COCONUT & BLUEBERRY TARTS
 JAFFA BAVAROIS
Are they cakes or are they biscuits? Should they be dunked or
should they not? Can you eat them with a spoon? Well now you
can, because this is my interpretation of the famous Jaffa
combination, with light cake, zesty orange jelly and whipped
chocolate, combined into a pudding version of the classic treat, just
to add to the confusion of how it’s ‘supposed’ to be eaten. I say that
if something can’t be answered, you might as well keep adding
more questions.

Serves 12 1. This has a few stages, all quite simple, but let’s
begin with the jelly. First, soak the gelatine leaves in
PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS
CHILLING a bowl of cold water.
COOK 40 MINUTES 2. Place the orange juice in a small pan and bring to
a gentle simmer (not a boil), then turn off and take
For the jelly off the heat.
3½ gelatine leaves
3. Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine,
300ml orange juice
add it to the orange juice in the pan and mix to allow
For the bavarois it to dissolve. (If you did accidentally bring the juice
cream to a boil, wait for it to cool before adding the
flavourless oil , for gelatine. Boiling liquids can make gelatine much less
greasing effective.)
9 gelatine leaves
4. Place the mixture in a shallow bowl or container
600ml milk and place in the fridge to set.
4 egg yolks
5. Now to get started on the bavarois cream. Put
100g caster sugar
the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and set
300ml double cream
aside.
zest of 1 orange
6. Put the milk into a pan and just bring to a simmer,
For the Genoese then take it off the heat.
sponge
7. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl.
125g caster sugar
Slowly add the warm milk in a steady stream, until
3 medium eggs
you have added it all.
125g plain flour , sifted 8. Now pour the mixture back into the pan and place
on a very low heat. The lowest setting you have is
For the whipped
chocolate topping
best. Stir continually until the mixture is thicker and
coats the back of the spoon. Don’t be tempted to
40g full-fat cream
cheese speed up the process by turning up the heat, or the
50g full-fat
mixture will curdle. This is the perfect opportunity to
mascarpone cheese catch up on social media, news or family with your
1 tablespoon whole milk free hand. The whole process can take 20–25
180g icing sugar , sifted
minutes.
20g cocoa , sifted 9. Once the mixture has thickened, put it back into
the bowl and leave for 10 minutes, just to cool. Add
the gelatine and mix through. Put into the fridge and
leave to cool completely.
10. Once the mixture is cold, whip the cream to soft
peaks and fold into the egg mixture, making sure
any lumps have gone. Add the orange zest, then put
into the fridge.
11. For the Genoese sponge, preheat the oven to
200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line the sides and base of
a deep 24 x 30cm rectangular baking tin with baking
paper, leaving a bit of an overhang.
12. Whisk the eggs and sugar for 8–10 minutes, until
the mixture is light and three times its original
volume. When the whisk is swirled and lifted out, a
trail should remain in the mixture for longer than 8
seconds. Add the sifted flour to the mixture and fold
through carefully, making sure to get rid of all the
pockets of flour without knocking out too much air.
13. Pour the mixture into the baking tin, then, using a
spatula or the back of a spoon, spread it into the
corners to make an even layer. Bake in the oven for
8–10 minutes, until the sponge is very light golden
and slightly risen.
14. Once baked, remove from the oven. Take the
sponge out of the tray, using the paper to help you,
and leave to cool on a wire rack.
15. As the sponge cools, grease the same baking tin
and line the base and sides generously with cling
film. Grease lightly.
16. Chop up the orange jelly into small cubes and
sprinkle them all over the base of the tray.
17. Pour over the bavarois cream, then put the
Genoese sponge on top. The sponge will be slightly
smaller now, as it will have shrunk during baking. But
this is absolutely fine. Place in the fridge to chill for
at least 3 hours.
18. While it chills, you can get started making the
whipped chocolate topping. Put the cream cheese
and mascarpone into a bowl with the milk and mix
together so they are well combined and viscous.
Add the sifted icing sugar and cocoa and mix
through. Whisk for 2 minutes.
19. Take the bavarois out of the fridge and tip it over
so the sponge is on the base and the bavarois on
top. Cut into portions.
20. Place the chocolate cream in a piping bag with a
star tip attached, and pipe out one large chocolate
star for each portion.
JAFFA BAVAROIS
 PEAR & GINGER TRIFLE
Normally I’m not a massive fan of trifle. I have issues with that place
where the cake meets the jelly and creates this weird cake–jelly
hybrid that doesn’t sit very well in my mouth. So this is my slightly
upside-down version of the classic, with pear and ginger sitting in
coconut jelly. It’s topped with sticky ginger cake, custard and cream.

Serves 8–10 1. Place the leaves of gelatine in a bowl of cold

water. Pour the coconut water into a small pan and
PREP 40 MINUTES,
PLUS SETTING heat up gently. Take off before it boils – you just
NO COOK
want to warm it through.
2. Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine
For the jelly sheets and add them to the coconut water. Stir until
7 gelatine leaves the gelatine has dissolved, then add the grated stem
500ml coconut water ginger and the ginger syrup.
2 pieces of stem ginger
in syrup , grated (plus, 3
3. You need a high 23cm wide dish for this. I like to
tablespoons of the use a glass trifle dish so I can see the layers.
ginger syrup )
4. Put the pears into the base of the dish and add
1 x 230g tin of pears ,
drained and cut into
half the coconut mixture. Place in the fridge and
chunks leave for 30 minutes, to set completely. This will
allow the fruit to sit on the base instead of being
For the vanilla custard suspended at the top of the jelly.
500ml whole milk
5. Now add the rest of the jelly and put back into the
2 large egg yolks fridge to set. This should take about 2 hours.
3 tablespoons cornflour
6. Meanwhile, make your custard. Put the milk into a
25g caster sugar
pan and heat until it just comes to the boil, then
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
remove from the heat.
paste
7. Mix the egg yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla
For the ginger cake paste and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy.
240g ginger cake , Slowly pour in the warm milk, making sure you’re
chopped into chunks
whisking all the time. Once you have added all the
For the cream
milk, put the mixture back into the warm pan and stir
300ml double cream gently on a low to medium heat until it has thickened.
2 tablespoons icing Take off the heat and allow the custard to cool
sugar completely – it needs about 30 minutes in the fridge.
1 teaspoon cornflour
8. Put the chunks of ginger cake on top of the jelly
mixture. Make sure the cake touches the edges of
the dish so you can see a distinct cake layer.
9. Now spoon the chilled custard on top and smooth
it out. Whip the cream, icing sugar and cornflour to
soft peaks and dollop on top of the trifle, making
peaks using the back of a knife.
10. Leave in the fridge until ready to serve.
 RAINBOW CAKE
While I can’t resist a barrage of colour on anything edible, I do
sometimes wonder what artificial colourings do to our insides. So,
much as I love decorating cakes with multicoloured layers of sugary
neon fondant, I am also always on the lookout for clever ways of
paring things back. Hidden inside this simple vanilla cake is a subtle
rainbow-stripe filling that satisfies my urges for food colouring,
while the adornment of fruit on top makes use of the shades that
nature has so kindly given to us. While developing this recipe, I
happened to be working with a very special Chris Martin lookalike,
and I realized how not being able to eat lactose can hinder some
people from getting stuck in. So I found a way to make this recipe
lactose-free. This one is for you, Chris! It’s all for you!

Serves 8–10 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.

Grease the base of two 20cm round cake tins and
PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS
CHILLING line with baking paper.
COOK 30 MINUTES, 2. Put the vegetable fat, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract,
PLUS COOLING flour and baking powder into the bowl of a mixer, or
use a hand-held mixer, and beat on high for 2
For the cake
minutes, until you have a smooth and even cake
250g vegetable fat
batter.
250g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
3. Divide the mixture equally between the two
prepared tins, and level off the top.
2 tablespoons vanilla
extract 4. Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 25–30
250g self-raising flour , minutes, until the cakes are a light golden colour and
sifted coming away from the tin at the sides. A skewer
½ teaspoon baking inserted should come out clean.
powder
5. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to
For the meringue a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
frosting
6. Meanwhile, make the meringue frosting. Place a
3 egg whites
medium pan on the heat and add about 2½ cm of
200g caster sugar
water. Bring the water to the boil, then leave on a
 250g vegetable fat low gentle simmer.
2 tablespoons vanilla
bean paste 7. Find a heatproof bowl that sits comfortably on top
gel food colouring
of the pan without moving too much. Put the egg
(red, orange, yellow, whites and sugar into the bowl.
green, blue, purple, pink)
8. With the bowl on top of the pan, begin to whisk
For the decoration with a hand-held mixer on medium speed. The
4 strawberries , halved
mixture needs to come up to 60°C. If you don’t have
a cooking thermometer, test by taking a bit of the
1 clementine , peeled
and segmented meringue and pressing the mixture between your
8 dried apricots
fingers. Once you can’t feel any sugar granules, the
sugar has melted and the mixture is ready.
8 green grapes
4 purple grapes 9. Take the pan off the heat and keep whisking. Add
10 blueberries chunks of the vegetable fat and keep whisking. The
mixture will begin to look runny and will then come
together and look a lot more like buttercream.
10. Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk it in. The
mixture is ready to use straight away.
11. Paint stripes of colour all around the inside of a
piping bag, starting each stripe at the tip and
working up to the top. Fill the piping bag with half the
frosting mixture.
12. Pipe frosting on to the top of one of the cakes,
starting from the outside and working your way in
until you get to the centre. Place the other cake on
top.
13. Using a spatula, place dollops of white frosting
wherever you can see the coloured frosting, so as to
conceal the rainbow surprise. Use the rest of the
frosting to cover the whole top and sides of the
cake. The mixture is airy, so you aren’t looking for a
smooth finish, but for one that’s more textured.
14. Now decorate the top by placing the fruit around
the edge.
RAINBOW CAKE
 WHITE CHOCOLATE & GRAPEFRUIT
TRUFFLES
Sometimes I prefer to serve up a dessert that doesn’t need slicing or
scooping or plates or washing up! So that’s when I serve up truffles.
After a particularly long or heavy meal, most grown-ups don’t want
to be faced with a big slab of pudding, and we would rather settle
for a little something sweet with a cup of something hot. These
white chocolate and grapefruit truffles are a favourite of mine for
moments like this, as they are sweet with a distinctive sharpness.

Makes 25 1. Put the cream and butter into a pan and place on
a medium heat. Just before the mixture comes to a
PREP 25 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING simmer, take it off the heat and set aside.
COOK 5 MINUTES 2. Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour over the
hot cream. Leave to sit for a few minutes, then mix.
200ml double cream The chocolate should mix into the cream and the
50g unsalted butter mixture should become viscous.
400g white chocolate ,
chopped 3. Add the grapefruit zest and vanilla paste.
zest of 1 yellow 4. Chill the mixture in the fridge until firm enough to
grapefruit roll. This may take a few hours.
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
paste 5. When ready to shape the truffles, take a spoon,
200g icing sugar dip it into hot water and wipe off the moisture.
25 edible flowers
Scoop up a small amount of the chocolate mixture
(about 20g) and roll it in the palm of your hand. To
stop the truffles sticking to your skin, you can lightly
grease your hands with a flavourless oil.
6. Sift the icing sugar on to a large flat plate. Shape
each truffle into a ball, then roll it in the icing sugar
and press it into the back of an edible flower,
flattening the truffle. This will ensure the flower stays
stuck in the truffle.
7. Place the truffles in a sealed container in the
fridge. Take out just before serving. They are best
served the same day if you want the flowers to look
their best.
 CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE &
HAZELNUT BUNDT CAKE
Discovering caramelized white chocolate was a revelation for me. At
college I used to get a regular chocolate fix between lessons.
Always rushing from one class to the next, I remember that fateful
day at the vending machine when I pressed B4 instead of B1, and
found myself with a Caramac bar, which I would never have chosen.
I haven’t looked back and caramelized white chocolate has been my
favourite ever since, both to eat and to bake with. This cake is a
lovely combination of sweetness and nuttiness, with a unique
warmth from the toasted flour.

Serves 20 1. Put the flour into a large non-stick pan and toast
over a medium heat, making sure to stir all the time.
PREP 40 MINUTES
This should take about 10 minutes. The flour should
COOK 1 HOUR 15
MINUTES
be a golden brown colour. Take off the heat and set
aside.
For the cake 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
380g plain flour , plus Brush the inside of a 23cm bundt tin with melted
extra for dusting
butter and dust it lightly with flour, gently tapping out
225g unsalted butter , any excess. Set aside.
softened, plus extra
melted butter for 3. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until
greasing
the mixture is light and fluffy and almost white in
500g caster sugar colour.
4 medium eggs
4. Add the eggs to the milk and whisk lightly. Slowly
120ml whole milk
add the egg and milk mixture to the butter and
1 tablespoon baking
sugar, making sure to incorporate it well.
powder
1 teaspoon salt 5. Sift the flour into the bowl, along with the baking
100g roasted powder and salt. The flour will be in clumps after
hazelnuts , roughly toasting, so be sure to use the back of your spoon
chopped to push the lumps through the sieve. Then fold in by
100g caramelized hand, using a spatula or spoon. Add the hazelnuts
white chocolate ,
 roughly chopped and chocolate, and mix everything to a smooth
batter.
For the topping
100g caramelized 6. Pour into the tin and level off the top. Bake on the
white chocolate , middle shelf of the oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour,
melted until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the
25g roasted hazelnuts cake is golden brown and slightly risen.
, roughly chopped
gold edible lustre dust
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn
out on to a wire rack to cool completely. If the cake
is wonky when turned out, just slice the base so it is
level and the cake will stand straight.
8. To decorate, gently spoon the melted chocolate
over the cake. Alternatively, you could use a piping
bag to do this.
9. Put the hazelnuts into a bowl with the gold lustre
and mix until all the nuts are covered. Sprinkle all
over the drizzled chocolate.
CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE & HAZELNUT BUNDT CAKE
 ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I love the combination of chewy fruit, sticky marshmallow and
crunchy biscuit, all covered in rich chocolate. Rocky road is one of
the first things I ever made in the kitchen with the kids. I say ‘made’,
even though it is more a case of ‘putting together’ as opposed to
baking. But this variation is a rocky road with a soft landing – in
cake form.

Serves 16 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Grease the base and sides of a 25cm round cake
PREP 45 MINUTES,
PLUS COOLING tin. Cut out two rounds of baking paper and use one
COOK 1 HOUR 25
to line the tin, putting the other one aside for later.
MINUTES 2. Put the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and
bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and give it all
For the cake
a whisk.
225g plain flour , sifted
350g caster sugar 3. Put the milk, eggs and oil into a jug and whisk until
85g cocoa powder
they are combined. Add to the dry mix and whisk to
a smooth batter.
1½ teaspoons baking
powder 4. Using the same jug, measure out the boiling water
1½ teaspoons and the coffee. Mix together and pour into the
bicarbonate of soda batter. You won’t actually taste the coffee in the
250ml whole milk , room cake, but it enhances the flavour of the chocolate,
temperature
so you should taste a lot of chocolate. This feels
2 large eggs weird, and it seems the two will not mix together.
125ml vegetable oil (or But I promise that they will, so persevere and
any flavourless oil)
continue to mix until you get a smooth batter. But be
250ml boiling water careful – the water will be very hot.
2 tablespoons instant
coffee 5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and
bake on the middle shelf for 45–50 minutes, until a
For the rocky road skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool
250g dark chocolate , completely in the tin.
chopped
6. Meanwhile prepare the rocky road by putting the
two chocolates and the butter into a microwaveable
 250g milk chocolate , bowl and melting in the microwave until the mixture
chopped
is smooth. Do this in 30-second and then 10-second
100g unsalted butter bursts, stirring between bursts.
200g malted milk
biscuits , roughly broken 7. Now add the biscuits, marshmallows and glacé
100g marshmallows (if cherries, and mix well until everything is coated.
mini, that’s great – if they
are big they will need
8. Pour the mixture all over the cooled cake, using
cutting into smaller the back of a spoon to help spread it out if needed.
pieces) Now take the extra round of baking paper you cut
200g glac é cherries , out earlier, place it on top and press firmly to flatten.
halved Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
2 tablespoons icing
sugar
9. Take the paper off the top and turn out on to a
cake stand or serving plate.
10. Now take off the other piece of paper and dust
the cake with icing sugar before slicing.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
 GINGERBREAD & LEMON VERTICAL
CAKE
Ginger cake is my husband’s absolute favourite, and yet in 12 years
I can’t remember ever having made a ginger cake specifically for
him. He mentions this constantly, while conveniently forgetting all
the other cakes I’ve baked him. So this is for Abdal, for his love of
ginger, with lemon frosting, which just works. Its layers run
vertically, which is a nice surprise when sliced.

Serves 10 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Grease the base and sides of a 23cm square cake
PREP 45 MINUTES,
PLUS CHILLING tin, and line with baking paper, making sure to leave
COOK 1 HOUR 35
a bit of an overhang.
MINUTES 2. Put the golden syrup, sugar and butter in a pan
and warm until the butter has melted and the sugar
For the cake
dissolved. Set aside to cool.
230g golden syrup
115g light brown sugar 3. Put the milk into a jug with the egg and whisk
115g unsalted butter
well.
275ml whole milk 4. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger
1 large egg and stem ginger into a large bowl and mix together.
225g self-raising flour , 5. Now add the cooled golden syrup mixture from
sifted
the pan and the milk mixture from the jug. Using a
1 teaspoon bicarbonate whisk, make sure the batter is lovely and smooth.
of soda
It’s a very loose mixture.
2 tablespoons ground
ginger , plus extra for 6. Pour into the tin and bake for about 1½ hours until
sprinkling the cake is shiny and golden and a skewer inserted
55g stem ginger in comes out clean.
syrup , washed, dried
and finely grated 7. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then
remove, using the paper around the edge to help
For the lemon cream you, and cool on a wire rack.
cheese frosting
150g unsalted butter , 8. Meanwhile, make the frosting by putting the butter
very soft
and cream cheese into a bowl and mixing until
150g full-fat cream smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar and mix again
cheese
until combined and smooth.
600g icing sugar , sifted
zest of 2 lemons 9. Mix in the lemon zest and place the frosting in the
fridge until you are ready to use it.
10. Once the cake has cooled completely, lay it on a
board. Cut it down the centre, to give 2 equal
rectangular pieces. Now cut each rectangle in half
again lengthways, to create 4 long thin pieces.
11. Keeping the pieces on the board, nudge them far
enough apart that you can get frosting into the gap
between each layer. Fill each gap with frosting, then
press the strips back together into their original
square shape, but now with three stripes of frosting.
12. Finally, frost the sides and top of the cake and
rib the edges using the tip of a spoon. Chill in the
fridge for 30 minutes, until set.
 BAKED VANILLA MOUSSE, MALT &
HAZELNUT HONEYCOMB
I love mousse, but I wanted to create a version that didn’t need
gelatine. This is the outcome, which is set by being gently baked in
the oven instead. Alone it’s very simple, but it really comes into its
own when drizzled with malt syrup and this easy-to-make hazelnut
honeycomb.

Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3 and

boil a full kettle of water. Grease four ramekins or
PREP 50 MINUTES,
PLUS OVERNIGHT dariole moulds of 8–9cm, and place a circle of
COOLING greaseproof paper in the base of each one.
COOK 35 MINUTES 2. Beat the cream cheese and milk in a bowl until
light and fluffy. Now add half the sugar, with the egg
For the mousse
yolks, cornflour and lemon juice. Whisk until well
butter or spray oil , for
greasing
combined and there are no more lumps.
200g full-fat cream 3. Now whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until
cheese they get foamy. Add the cream of tartar, then add
60ml whole milk the rest of the sugar slowly, whisking all the time.
120g caster sugar The mixture should be a stiff meringue, glossy and
3 large eggs , separated shiny.
20g cornflour 4. Pour the meringue mix into the egg yolk mix and
30ml lemon juice fold in gently. Add the vanilla extract. Mix and pour
(approx. 1 lemon) into the prepared ramekins.
1 teaspoon cream of
tartar 5. Place the ramekins in a large roasting tin, then
1 teaspoon vanilla pour boiling water from the kettle into the tin to
extract come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in
3 tablespoons malt the oven on a low shelf for 30–35 minutes. You will
extract know they are ready when there is only a slight
wobble left but the mixture has set.
For the hazelnut
honeycomb 6. Take out of the roasting tin and set aside until
200g caster sugar cool, then place in the fridge overnight.
5 tablespoons golden 7. To make the honeycomb, line a baking tray with
syrup
baking paper. Place the sugar and syrup in a pan on
2 teaspoons a medium heat. Keep stirring – the mixture will
bicarbonate of soda
become clear, runny and golden. You will know it’s
30g roasted hazelnuts
, chopped
ready when all the sugar granules have dissolved.
8. Take off the heat and add the bicarbonate of
soda. Mix quickly and pour on to the baking tray.
Sprinkle immediately with hazelnuts and leave for up
to an hour to set.
9. To serve, turn out each mousse pot on to a plate
by just dipping it into hot water for a few seconds –
this should loosen the whole thing without needing to
put a knife around the edge. Drizzle over the malt
extract, then break the honeycomb into shards and
place the pieces on top.
 ROSE & PISTACHIO DACQUOISE
FLOWER
It took me longer to work how to pronounce ‘dacquoise’ than to
actually make it! A dacquoise is essentially a meringue, but with
crushed nuts folded through. Not too dissimilar to a macaron, but a
lot easier. It’s a light dessert that takes a bit of work, but the results
are spectacular. Whether you have guests coming over or you are
taking this to a friend’s house, it’s one of those creations where
everyone can see you’ve made an effort. The fragrant combination
of rose and pistachio adds even more wow factor.

Serves 8–10 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

PREP 1 HOUR, PLUS 2. Put the pistachios into a food processor and blitz
CHILLING until they are coarsely ground. Place them in an
COOK 1½ HOURS even layer across a baking tray and place in the
oven for 10–12 minutes, making sure to stir them
For the pistachio every 3–4 minutes. The nuts need to be toasted and
dacquoise
dried out.
250g pistachios
300g caster sugar 3. Take the nuts out of the oven, put into a bowl and
25g cornflour
leave them to cool completely. Reduce the oven to
150°C/130°C fan/gas 2.
6 large egg whites
150g white chocolate , 4. Once the nuts are cold, stir in 100g of sugar and
melted the cornflour and set aside.

For the rose custard 5. Line three baking trays with baking paper. Draw a
600ml whole milk
20cm circle on one piece. Now draw 4 lines across
the circle so that they intersect in the middle, to
3 large egg yolks
divide the circle into 8 equal wedges – the way a
125g caster sugar
cake would look if it was cut into 8 slices. Round off
2 tablespoons rose the edge of each wedge so that they are petal-
syrup
shaped. Do the same on the other two pieces of
50g cornflour
paper, using the first as a template to trace over.
300ml whipping cream Turn the paper over so it is pencil-side down.
 For decoration 6. Put the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk for
40g crystallized rose a few minutes, until frothy and increasing in volume.
petals , blitzed to coarse Now add the remaining 200g of sugar, a tablespoon
crumbs (see tip )
at a time, still whisking, until you have used all the
75g pistachios , blitzed
to coarse crumbs
sugar. The mixture should now be stiff and glossy.
7. Add the pistachio mix to the meringue and fold it
all in gently, making sure there are no dry nut bits.
8. Fit a piping bag with a plain 1.5cm nozzle and
stand it inside a tall glass. Put the mixture into the
piping bag and pipe the meringue inside the pencil
lines, to fill in the flower shapes on all three trays.
9. Place all three trays in the oven and bake for 1
hour, making sure to swap the top and bottom trays
over halfway through, to ensure an even bake.
10. Once the hour is up, turn off the oven and open
the door. Leave the meringues in the oven for at
least an hour before taking them out. If you can wait
longer, leave them until the oven is totally cold.
11. Meanwhile make the rose custard. Put the milk
into a pan and bring to a simmer, then take off the
heat and set aside. Put the egg yolks, sugar, rose
syrup and cornflour into a bowl and whisk together.
Slowly pour in the milk in a slow stream, making
sure to whisk all the time. This is where you may
need someone else to help.
12. Once all the milk is added, pour the mixture back
into the pan on a low heat and bring to a simmer,
whisking all the time. Then continue to whisk for 2–3
minutes, until it thickens. The custard needs to be
thick enough to spread on the sides of the
dacquoise.
13. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool completely.
Once cool, the custard will be quite thick, so you’ll
need to whisk it gently to loosen it just a little.
14. Once the rose custard is cooled, whip up the
cream to soft peaks. Add half the whipped cream to
the cooled custard and fold in. Then fold in the rest
of the cream. Set aside in the fridge.
15. Meanwhile choose the best of your flower
meringues and put it aside to make the top layer of
the dacquoise. Brush the melted white chocolate
over the tops of the other two meringues – the
chocolate will stop the moisture from the rose
custard seeping through.
16. Once the chocolate has set, it’s time to
assemble. Divide the rose custard into two batches,
one for filling, one for covering the sides. Put the
second batch aside.
17. Using the first batch, place one of the meringues
on a serving dish, chocolate side up, and spread
with a thin layer of the rose custard. Place the next
chocolate-covered meringue on top and cover with
more rose custard. Place the third and final
meringue, the one you set aside, on top.
18. Using an angled spatula, cover the sides of the
dacquoise with the second batch of rose custard.
This will hide any imperfections. Take your time to
make it all neat.
19. Now mix the blitzed rose petal and pistachio
crumbs. Using your hands, press the crumb mixture
all over the sides of the dacquoise.

Tip: To make homemade crystallized petals, brush

organic rose petals (having made sure they are
clean) with egg white, then cover them with caster
sugar and leave them to dry.
ROSE & PISTACHIO DACQUOISE FLOWER
CRISPY CHOCOLATE & SALTED PEANUT
TART
This tart contains a surprising secret ingredient: crisps. Crisps have
become such a snacking essential (one that I certainly couldn’t do
without) that most people don’t think to use them in cooking. But
with their crunchy, salty deliciousness, they are great added to
recipes for extra texture and taste, and here I use crushed salted
crisps to create a tart base with a difference. The chocolate filling is
rich, but gets balanced out by the salty base and the scattering of
salted peanuts. You will never look at crisps in the same way again
– no longer just the crunch to accompany your sandwich, they can
also be the crunch that accompanies your dessert!

Serves 10–12 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4, and

grease a 23cm deep, loose-bottomed tart tin.
PREP 25 MINUTES
COOK 45 MINUTES 2. Whiz the crisps to breadcrumb-size pieces in a
food processor. Melt the butter in a small pan with
For the base the golden syrup. Tip the crisps into a bowl and stir
250g thick-cut salted in the melted butter and syrup.
crisps
3. Press the crisp mixture evenly into the base and
100g butter
sides of the tart tin. Line the case with non-stick
4 tablespoons golden
syrup
baking paper and fill with baking beans. Place on an
oven tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from
For the filling and the oven, take out the paper and beans, and set
topping aside.
225g butter
4. Meanwhile make the filling. Melt the butter and
375g dark chocolate chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently
(70% cocoa solids)
simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl
3 eggs
does not touch the water), stirring now and then until
3 egg yolks completely melted and glossy. Remove from the
150g caster sugar heat and leave to cool a little while you prepare the
125g roasted and eggs.
salted peanuts ,
roughly chopped 5. Using an electric beater, whisk together the eggs,
egg yolks and sugar till thickened and pale. This
may take 3–4 minutes.
6. Pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture
over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking as you
pour until completely combined. Stir in 75g of the
chopped peanuts.
7. Pour the chocolate mixture into the tart shell and
sprinkle the remaining chopped peanuts over the
top.
8. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20–25
minutes, or until almost set but still with a very slight
wobble. If the tart is still very wobbly, cook for a
little longer, but check it every couple of minutes.
Remove and leave to cool on a rack, still in the tin.
Then transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours.
9. When cool, carefully remove the tart from the tin,
cut into slices and serve with cream or vanilla ice
cream.
CRISPY CHOCOLATE & SALTED PEANUT TART
 THANKS

Abdal, thank you for being the best human being in the world! I hope God
made you out of some sort of hardwearing thermosetting material,
because there should be more of you in the world. You are the most
supportive husband a girl could ever ask for. I love you more than marmite
crisps!
My babies – Musa, Dawud and Maryam – day by day you become more
intuitive, kinder and lovelier than I could hope for. Every day spent away
from you is tough, but each day spent with you is worth its weight in
saffron.
Amma and Baba, for all of your struggles and for all the times you tried to
convince me there was method to your madness. I believe you now. I get
it!
Dhidhi, Sadiafa, Pinks, Jak and Shak. It’s never about what we’ve done
wrong, it’s all about who gets in trouble with Mum first! From our first
taste of milk, to our fights over the hand-washing bowl and our triumphant
milk-drinking challenges. It all started with you guys.
Thank you to my agent Anne for being at the end of the phone every
single day, at any hour. You are relentless in making sure I am always
smiling – and not just on my face, but on the inside too. I don’t know how
you do it, but you do! It helps that you send me pictures of your shoes –
that makes me happy in a way only you can truly understand.
To the television team! To the late nights, the long days and the many car
trips. We got there in the end. Thank you to Paolo Proto, Stephen Leigh,
Martha Delap, Laura Abrahams, Laia Niubo, Irina Aggrey, Becky Church,
Nicole Larmour, Brendan Cornelissen, Pooch Horsburgh, Tom Kirkman
and David Bimsom.
A special thank you to the man who knows my face better than anyone
else. Danny Rohrer, you have the displeasure of looking at my face
through a lens for hours on end! I would never have it any other way. I
hope the sore shoulder was worth it for you. Thank you for tilting your
head and reminding me that I can do it every time you see worry in my
eyes. I can’t thank you enough for being there for me.
For all the legends who’ve worked tirelessly to get this book in ship-shape
order. Huge thank you to John Hamilton, Ione Walder, Dan Bunyard, Sarah
Fraser, Claire Bush, Gaby Young, Chris Terry, Emma Lahaye, Rob Allison,
Danny, Rosie McKean, Katy Gilhooly, Beatrix McIntyre, Amy McWalters,
Annie Lee, Deborah Hooper and Caroline Wilding.
Heather B, you are a superstar. For every time you had to straddle me in
order to make me look and feel a million dollars, it was worth it! You are
an artist like I have never met. Thank you for making me feel amazing.
Thank you to all the people I visited while making this book and TV series.
Thanks for letting us take over your lives for a day. Meeting people like
you made the experience of writing recipes and filming the series all the
more wholesome. I learned a lot about myself along the way, and got to
see my Britain in a whole new light. I also learned the hard way that my
legs were made for land and not for sea!
Penguin Books
 THE BEGINNING
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 MICHAEL JOSEPH

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Michael Joseph is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can
be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com .

First published 2017

Text copyright © Nadiya Hussain, 2017

Photography copyright © Chris Terry, 2017
By arrangement with the BBC
BBC Logo copyright © BBC, 1996
The BBC logo is a registered trade mark of the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used
under license.

The moral right of the author has been asserted

Cover photography: Chris Terry

ISBN: 978-1-405-93181-6