Cookbook Confidential

SERVES 4 3 courgettes, sliced into thick rounds 650g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick slices 5 tablespoons good-quality olive oil 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 × 400g tins plum tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried […]

I had to put this recipe in, even though mine varies from the original, created by a chef named Kejriwal. It is more or less a variation of Bombay’s famous Chilli Cheese Toast and is sold […]

The Indian name of this dish translates literally as ‘five fingers of ginger’, but ‘fingers’ alludes to the bones in a small rack of lamb. Use good-quality meat, as the cooking process is short and does not […]

  This is my go-to starter in the winter when I am a bit pushed for time but want something utterly delicious so my guests don’t feel like I’m cheating! The first time I tasted […]

In the mood for something floral and citrus, but not sweet and fruity? This salute to the pioneers of aviation emerged in 1911, and then was lost and forgotten for decades before re-emerging as a […]

It’s often the weird and wonderful, utterly disparate ingredients that unify to make the most satisfying of meals. Pomegranate molasses, with its lip-puckering tanginess, marries very well with the salty spice of sriracha chilli sauce. […]

Every autumn I go blackberry picking in the country. It’s something I start to look forward to at the beginning of autumn and taking an afternoon to walk along the country roads, with a basket […]

There is a wonderful familiarity about this dish that makes it a hit with many a picky eater. You can make extra batches of the raw meatballs to freeze for later use, simply defrosting them […]

You’d be forgiven for thinking me unpatriotic to take a British classic and give it a Spanish heartbeat, but I march into Spain with the Union Jack held high. This takes the classic side dish […]

SERVES: 6 PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS WF GF V 3 free-range egg whites 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 300g caster sugar, plus an […]

If you haven’t the time to go to a cheese shop, or your local shop doesn’t have a strong selection, soft goat’s cheese logs, available in almost every supermarket, can be very easily improved and […]

SERVES 10 I love serving a seafood paella at home for supper with my friends – one big pan set in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. You can make it up […]