Category: Lifestyle

’Nduja, the spicy, spreadable southern Italian meat condiment, has been embraced wholeheartedly in Britain – so much so that native pork producers are now making their own versions. It adds incredible flavour to other ingredients – in this case, mushrooms. The portobello mushrooms at my local market have been huge this year, and I love […]

The recipeScrub 750g of mussels then check them carefully for cracked shells. Discard any that refuse to close when tapped firmly. Put them in a deep saucepan over a high heat and pour in 100ml of white wine or vermouth. You can use water at a push. Bring to the boil, covered tightly with a […]

It’s easy for vegetarians to feel short-changed at Christmas. I created this vibrantly coloured, subtly spiced, sweet and savoury pastry number with them in mind, but it seems popular with meat-eaters as well. I eat sprouts year-round, in one form or another, transforming them with spice and lemon zest without a lot of effort. Christmas […]

This spiced rice pudding can be made well in advance, but if you do so the rice will soak up most, if not all of the milk, so you’ll need to add a little more to loosen the kheer when you reheat it. Prep 5 minCook 45 minServes 4 For the kheer100g basmati rice750ml non-dairy […]

Make sure you have everything you need ready and in place before you start shallow frying. Keep the batter and potato mixture to one side of the hob, and have to hand a spatula and a plate with kitchen paper on it. The batter, potato mixture and chutney can all be made a day in […]

I want to be ushered gently into the Christmas feast. A couple of small courses, crisp and light, to tease and delight before we start carving the roast bird and passing around the trimmings. First, something frivolous in a glass with some appropriate “bits” (I really can’t bring myself to write the word “canapés” or […]

Learning to dip the knife in hot water before using it to spread the icing on the marzipan made me feel like a pastry chef. I must have been 10. Having spread the brilliant white and glossy royal icing like plaster, family tradition dictated it had to be roughed up for “a snow effect”, which […]