Cookbook Confidential

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 cult favourite among the world’s bartenders. It can be made with two types of violet liqueur (crПme d’Yvette and crПme […]

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. The tabbouleh is earthy, but offers random bursts of revitalising sweetness as the pomegranate seeds pop in the mouth. Serves […]

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 in hand foraging for the plumpest berries is heaven. Their juicy sweetness with the sour cooking apples, soaking into the […]

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 before cooking in the sauce. Or try pan-frying for 8–10 minutes and serving with pasta or a salad. Serves 4 […]

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 a few steps further, by including broccoli as well as cauliflower, and transforms it into a meal in its own […]

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 extra 2 tablespoons, to serve 1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour 3 tablespoons raspberry jam, to serve 200ml double cream, lightly whipped, […]

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 made into something that looks and tastes very special for a cheese course. All you need are a few of […]

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 to step two a few hours before serving it – just so that you’re not chained to the stove when […]

This curry features two of my favourite ingredients – chicken and chickpeas. I make it in an unusual way – the ingredients are combined in a saucepan first, then transferred to the oven. It’s a good method as, once the dish is in the oven, you can forget all about it until the timer bleeps. […]

Whether it’s a bone-dry Martini or a full-blown tiki extravaganza, an element of theatre is inherent in every cocktail. Ian Fleming clearly understood this, and often treated his guests in Jamaica to his flaming rum punch, which he called Old Man’s Thing. The recipe, divulged by Fleming’s housekeeper, is simple and brutally boozy, comprising just […]

Oven Baked Chicken with Artichokes I learned how to make the marinade for this chicken dish by watching my dad prepare it for barbecues. I find it works just as well for chicken cooked in the oven, and it makes me very happy to serve it to my appreciative family – Anna SERVES 4 – […]

Iranians are big fans of kuku, which is essentially a frittata. We have four classic versions, and one of them uses aubergines. Naturally, I have added my own twist in the form of caramelized onions and a little parsley. If you want to make this more of a meal, add feta cheese and serve it […]