Wild garlic risotto

Wild garlic is in full flower in late April and May, so now is the time to get it. Mine grows in the garden, but it’s easy to find in churchyards, woods and fields. The flowers are edible and tasty, as well as looking really pretty on the plate. Its uses range from pesto to soups and, in this recipe, risotto. I like to use Carnaroli rice for its creaminess, but feel free to use other types. You could even substitute spelt for the rice, adjusting the liquid and cooking time as required.Serves: 4Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 25 minutesIngredients1l vegetable stock, preferably homemadeOlive oil2 garlic cloves, finely chopped4 small shallots, finely slicedHalf a glass of white wine, better still, vermouth (optional)A large handful of wild garlic leaves and a good sprinkle of the flowers2 tbsp butter2 tbsp grated parmesanA dash of truffle oil if you’re feeling luxuriousSalt to season Method

1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep it warm on the stove.
2. In a deep, heavy bottomed pan sauté the garlic and shallots in a little olive oil until soft, then add the rice and a pinch of salt. Stir well and toast the rice for a minute.
3. Add the vermouth if using and let it reduce right down. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, only adding another when the previous ladleful has been absorbed. Make sure you keep stirring the rice to release the starch for a creamy risotto.
4. Halfway through, add half of the finely sliced wild garlic leaves and stir well.
5. Finish adding the stock, then vigorously stir in the butter and Parmesan while shaking the pan.
6. Stir in the remaining leaves, cover and rest for five minutes. Check the seasoning; add the garlic flowers and serve.

Quick carb-free crab ‘courgetti’

This is a take on one of my favourite pasta dishes. It’s a great way to cut out carbohydrates if you're on a health kick, and it really stands out as a dish in its own right.It’s so quick to make, as long as you have a spiralizer. If not, you’ll have to slice the courgettes very finely by hand. I have a small hand-held spiralizer that only cost a few pounds and I highly recommend it.Use good olive oil, juicy tomatoes and adjust the chilli to your taste. Don’t overdo it though, this is a delicate dish. It also works very well with prawns if you prefer.Serves: 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutesIngredients2 tins of crab1 large courgette½ a clove of garlicA large handful of cherry tomatoesOlive oilA pinch of chilli flakes2 tbsp fresh chives, finely slicedSalt to seasonMethod

1. Prepare the courgette and set aside for a minute.
2. Gently heat the olive oil and add the garlic, then cook for a minute.
3. Add the courgette, season and toss in the pan for a minute or two, until it starts to soften.
4. Add the crab, tomatoes and chilli flakes and cook for a further minute to warm through.
5. Check the seasoning and stir the chives through just before serving with a salad.

Delicious homemade doughnuts

The first time I had fresh doughnuts straight from the fryer was a revelation. There was a small stall between Covent Garden tube station and the market, basically a fryer on wheels. When some friends and I used to come up to London for whatever reason and found ourselves there, we would stuff our faces. They were hot and soft, sugary and delicious and felt like such a treat. Completely unlike the stodgy, cold shop-bought ones. Now, whenever possible I make my own.Cooking with the children is always good fun and baking is a really easy way to involve them. Rather than starting off with complicated savoury dishes, things like biscuits, cakes and doughnuts are great hands on recipes.Makes: 12 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 5-6 minutesIngredients7g dry yeast5tbsp golden caster sugar230g plain flour160ml milk65g melted butter1 egg, beatenPinch of salt500ml rapeseed oil for fryingFillings of your choiceGolden caster sugar to coatMethod1. Warm the milk and add the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Leave to stand for about ten minutes until slightly foamy.2. Add the flour and sugar to a large bowl or food mixer and add the milk mixture and remaining sugar along with themelted butter and egg.3. Knead for about five minutes then cover the bowl and leave to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.4. Knead again for a couple of minutes then on a floured surface shape into balls and doughnuts and leave to rise for another twenty minutes or so.5. Heat the oil to 175c in a deep pan or preferably a deep-fat fryer and gently cook the doughnuts in small batches for a couple of minutes or so on each side. Don’t let the oil get too hot or they will remain uncooked on the inside and burn on the outside.6. Drain on kitchen paper and roll in sugar. When cool enough to handle, fill the centre of the balls using a pipette with your choice of filling. I think you can’t beat raspberry jam, but you could also use caramel or Nutella or whatever you fancy. I also like to drizzle them with caramel or melted chocolate and chopped hazlenuts.

Jasmine-cured mackerel fishcakes

Fishcakes are a great way of either using up fish trimmings or making fish a bit more accesible for the children.I'm a big fan of Thai fishcakes. Full of zingy flavours, and with their added prawn and no potato they are firm and can be roasted in a little oil or deep fried, as with the traditional British ones. When making the British kind, something that's really important to me is not including too much potato and not making them too large.This recipe is for fishcakes that are a bit special because they use mackerel that has been cured in sugar, salt and jasmine pearls. These are easily found in supermarkets in the tea section. The fishcakes have turmeric and spices in them to boost the flavour. Increase the quantity to suit your palate; I made these to be very child-friendly. Normally I prefer them with a bit more kick.Serve with a cucumber and dill mayonnaise or some smoked paprika ketchup.Serves: 4Preparation time: 30 minutesCooking time: 20 minutesIngredients4 fresh mackerel, filleted4 tbsp of jasmine pearls4 tbsp caster sugar4 tbsp salt4 medium floury potatoes50g butter, melted50ml milk1 tbsp turmeric powder1 tbsp garam masala2 tsp ground coriander seedsSalt and pepper to seasonFlour for dustingMethod1. Place the fish on a large plate or tray and sprinkle over the jasmine, salt, sugar and a twist of pepper. Make sure all the skin and flesh is covered then wrap in clingfilm and leave to cure in the fridge for at least an hour.2. Rinse and gently poach the fish in water for about five minutes then remove the skin, flake the fish and set aside to cool.3. Cook the potatoes until soft and starting to fall apart when you prod them with a knife. Drain and leave to steam dry for a while then mash well with the butter and milk until creamy.4. Mix together the fish, potato and remaining ingredients and shape into fishcakes.5. Toss them in flour to dry them out and shallow-fry in vegetable oil (preferably rapeseed) until golden brown, flipping halfway through.6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the mayonnaise and ketchup and a beetroot and chicory salad.

Dhal Vadai: spiced Indian lentil balls

I have talked about my love of lentils in an earlier post. Like the Swedish are never too far away from a herring, dhal is never too far from my mind. Lentils are comfort food with the benefit of being incredibly good for you. The varieties lend themselves to a wide range of different dishes: Le Puy for a sausage casserole, beluga for a rabbit stew.When my wife asked me to make an Indian version of falafel (as a lower carb snack), I remembered eating something similar at the wonderful Ganapati canteen in Peckham.So here is my version of a very popular Indian street snack, perfect for an aperitif or even a small starter. For this dish, I have used split red lentils, but you could replace 50g with chana dhal, which is dried split chickpea.Feel free to adjust the amount of chilli to your taste. I like mine hot.Prep time: 15 minutesCooking time: 30 minsIngredients:200g split red lentils3cm cinnamon stick1 tbsp toasted coriander seed1 tbsp toasted cumin seed3 tbsp garam masala3 green birds-eye chillies1 tbsp peppercorns (fresh if possible)1 tbsp turmeric powder10-12 curry leaves (fresh if possible, use 6-8 if dried)Salt to seasonMethod:Rinse 100g of the lentils until the water runs clear. Add them to a pan with 350ml cold water, a pinch of salt, the turmeric, curry leaves, cinnamon and peppercorns.Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, or until soft.Spread out on a tray to dry a little and remove the cinnamon stick and as many of the curry leaves as you can.Meanwhile, grind the remaining lentils to a powder in a spice grinder and mix with the cooked lentils until you get a fairly firm and shapeable mix.Heat vegetable or rapeseed oil to 180c in a deep pan to about 1/3 of the way up. You can tell when it’s hot enough by dropping a little of the mix into the oil and it goes golden brown in about 30 seconds.Using a coffee scoop, shape the mix into balls and cook three or four at a time until golden brown. Remove and place on kitchen towel to dry as you make the rest.Serve with yoghurt mixed with two tablespoons of dried coriander leaves, a few fresh chopped mint leaves, wholegrain mustard and a pinch of chilli powder.

Delicious beef kofte skewers with yogurt, cumin and mint dip

 A good kebab is a great thing. It’s almost the ultimate in balanced meals with the meat, salad, vegetables and carbohydrates. It can either soak up a night’s excesses or remind you of long summer lunches in Greece or Turkey, surrounded by the chargrills and their mouthwatering aromas.Cooking over coals or wood gives the meat such tenderness and depth of flavour and certainly appeals to my inner Neanderthal.The best way to cook this, then, is over flames. However, if it’s the height of the English summer and you have to cook inside, grill them on the highest heat possible and that should do.Prep: 25-30 mins (15-20 if using minced meat)Serves: 4Ingredients300g rib-eye steak300g osso bucco1 tsp white peppercorns1tbsp cumin seeds1tbsp coriander seeds1 tsp dried mint½ tsp smoked paprika1 tsp za’atar1 tsp chilli powder1 tbsp puréed garlic1 tbsp puréed ginger½ red onion, finely dicedA handful of breadcrumbs1 eggA squeeze of lemon juiceMethodSlice the meat as finely as you can, or if you haven’t the time, get your butcher to mince it for you. The texture won't be as good, but the end result will still be delicious.Squeeze out the bone marrow from the osso bucco and add with the sliced meat to a large mixing bowl.Toast the peppercorns, cumin and coriander in a dry frying pan until they start to release their aroma, then transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and process to a fine powder.Add the ground spices along with the rest of the ingredients to the meat, season well and mix thoroughly until everything is incorporated without it becoming to slushy.Shape the mixture into sausage shapes around metal skewers and grill on a high heat, turning occasionally, for five to ten minutes, depending on how thick you have made them.Tonight, I’m serving these with a carrot, cumin and dried mint yoghurt and a simple salad.Feel free to add flatbreads, but as I’m currently going low carb in a bid to look 20 again, not for me this time…

Meatballs with spiced tomato sauce and courgette 'spaghetti'

I love meatballs more than almost anything in the world. It's hard to beat a bowl of them served with spaghetti, but for this version I thought I'd make a healthier dish (with lower carbs) by substituting spaghetti for ribbons of courgette.This dish works really well - in fact, these are the best meatballs I've made - and we'll certainly be having it again soon.Makes more meatballs than you need for 2, or freeze the remainder once cooked.For the meatballs:1 pack of beef mince1 egg1 small jar of 'Sofrito' (or make your own by sweating a chopped carrot with chopped celery, chopped onion and salt)Large handful of dried breadcrumbs2 sprigs of chopped rosemarySeason well, mix well, form into balls and refrigerate for 30 mins.Fry in batches and set aside.For the sauce:Sauté an onion with some garlic in olive oil and as many hot chillies as you fancy. (I used four). Season, then add a tin of tomatoes and some oregano. Add a pinch of sugar and simmer for 20 mins or until thickened.Add the meatballs and heat through.For the courgette:Thinly slice the courgette lengthwise into spaghetti strips. Blanch for 20 secs in boiling water, then briefly sauté in chopped garlic.Season well and serve with meatballs and sauce, sprinkled with parmesan to taste.

Marvellous Moules Marinières with easy fries

 Having been writing seafood recipes for the past few days, last night I had a spare bag of mussels. I also had some potatoes, cream, garlic, white wine, parsley and shallots – so supper was an obvious choice. I’ve always loved Moules Marinières, ever since being taught as a boy to use an empty shell as a mussel-removing tool. A few years later, my great Aunty Suzy in Paris told me that this was a Belgian dish, and taught me that the only way to have it was with beer.The fries with this are a must, and this method is much quicker than the blanching and cooling method traditionally used. The difference is almost unnoticeable.Ingredients1kg very fresh mussels1 banana shallot1 clove of garlic3tbsp chopped parsley1 glass of white wine150ml double creamOlive oil1l groundnut or rapeseed oil for deep-frying4 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into fine chipsSalt and pepper to season Method

1. Clean the mussels well, removing their ‘beards’ and soak them in cold water for 15 minutes. Discard any that are broken, won’t close when tapped or remain open after soaking.
2. Rinse the fries in cold water for five to 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry with kitchen towel.
3. Pour the groundnut oil into a deep pan, ensuring it comes no more than halfway up the inside. Add the fries and turn on the heat to high. Do not leave the pan unattended. Cook until starting to turn golden brown, then remove them and put in a bowl with kitchen towel to drain a little. Season well.
4. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan and gently sauté the garlic and shallots. Season well and add the mussels. Turn the heat up and pour in the wine. Cover tightly with a lid and steam for six to 10 minutes. Throw away any that haven’t opened.
5. Finally, add the cream and parsley, and serve straight from the pan with the fries.

Curried spelt with salmon

Apart from the smell of onions and garlic cooking in a little butter and oil, I don’t think anything beats the aromatic and almost mysterious smell that comes from toasting a mix of spices in a pan, then adding puréed ginger, onion and chilli.This dish is for when you don’t feel like a curry, but want a little of that wonderful spicing to perk something up. Toasting the spelt gives it an extra nuttiness, adding an almost a popcorn-like flavour. And the spices turn it into a thing of beauty.Ingredients• 4 salmon fillets, removed from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking• 200g spelt• 1 tbsp of olive oil• 1 tsp cumin seeds• 1 tsp coriander seeds• ½ tsp turmeric• 1 tsp of chilli powder•  ½ tsp chilli flakes• ½ tsp fennel seeds• 1 tbsp of olive oil• Water• Salt and pepper to seasonMethod1. In a saucepan with the heat on already, pour in the olive oil. Add the spelt and toast for a minute or until the grains start to pop a little.2. Add the spices and stir well. Lower the heat and cook for a further minute. Pour in enough water to well cover the spelt, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Turn the heat down and cook for 20 minutes or so, until the spelt is soft, but with a little bite. Set aside.3. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and season the salmon well. Add it to the pan skin-side down and cook for five minutes, until the skin is crisping. Turn over and turn the heat off. Leave for five minutes.4.  Serve the spelt on warm plates topped with the salmon and a side serving of garlicky green beans.

Rabbit terrine with asparagus, pancetta and peas

This dish is so pretty, but essentially my rabbit terrine is a big slab of meat, freshened by the addition of peas and asparagus. Served with a pickled salad and a few truffle shavings, it made a delicious lunch on a recent shoot.  Serves:             6-8 peoplePrep time:       15 minutes Cooking time: 90 minutesIngredients1 rabbit, skinned and cleaned. Reserve the kidneys and liver150g pork belly, meat and fat separated500ml warm vegetable stock2 sheets of gelatine8 asparagus spears, blanched20 slices of pancetta200g of petit pois1 tbsp saltPepper to seasonMethod

1. Heat the oven to 150°C.
2. Mince the rabbit and pork belly meat, and finely slice the fat (or get your butcher to do it for you). Add the rabbit, pork, fat, salt, and a good twist of pepper to a bowl and mix well.
3. Soften the gelatine in a little water for ten minutes, then drain and squeeze out, then set aside.
4. Line a terrine dish with the pancetta, hanging the edges over, so that you can fold them back and cover the top.
5. Spoon a layer of the rabbit and pork into the bottom and spread well. Cover with a layer of peas. Add another layer of rabbit and pork mix. Add a layer of asparagus. Cover with the remaining meat.
6. Pour in the gelatine and stock, then press down. Fold over the pancetta. Place the terrine in a baking tray half-filled with hot water and cook for one and a half hours.
7. Remove from the oven, take the lid off and weight down with a piece of cardboard and some tin cans, then leave it in the fridge overnight.
8. Remove from the fridge half an hour before serving, turn upside down onto a board and slice. Serve with a pickled salad.

Sea urchin spaghetti with lemon and olive oil

One of the greatest meals I’ve ever had was a sea urchin pasta, eaten overlooking a beach in Paxos. We were at a cookery demonstration by Spiros, owner of Bar Taxidi in Loggos (surely the bar with the best view in the world?). Earlier that morning we had watched a boy diving into the beautiful clear sea by the bar, eventually emerging with a bucket of urchins. Spiros and an Italian-Greek friend of his then prepared this simple, yet absolutely amazing dish using the roe.Sea urchins aren’t that easy to come by, so when I saw some this week in Moxon's, I snapped them up. A good fishmonger should be able to order them in for you though, depending on the time of year. Make sure you use the best quality spaghetti you can get, as this dish is all about simplicity and quality.Serves:                 4Cooking time:   10 minsIngredients4 sea urchins (these keep in the fridge for a couple of days, wrapped in damp paper)Juice of half a lemonOlive oilA handful of chopped parsley400g spaghetti1 clove of garlicSalt to seasonMethod

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the spaghetti.
2. Prepare the sea urchins by cutting in through the hole at the bottom and around the ‘equator’. Carefully remove the pink roe with a teaspoon and rinse in cold water.
3. Put the garlic, lemon juice and roe in a blender, leaving some roe for the garnish.
4. On a slow blend, pour in the olive oil until you get a sauce the consistency of double cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
5. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and pour in the sauce, leave it to stand for a moment or two, then toss through the parsley. Serve and garnish with the remaining roe.

How to food style it

1. I had fun with the urchin shells here. I cleaned and boiled them and scraped the spines off. These gave me little ready-made bowls for them, but if you are serving them as a main course, you’ll either need a lot of shells, or just use a plate.
2. This is a delicate dish, so it’s nice to really carefully wind the spaghetti onto the plate. A few drops of lemon oil around the edge work well, giving it vibrancy and contrast.

Strawberries in red wine: a French classic

Madame Suzy Ghirlando, my Great Aunt, is 95. She lives in a 1960s Paris apartment that she bought new, in which the furniture and wallpaper has probably never changed. I love sitting with her in the narrow galley kitchen drinking red wine, eating cheese, and talking.Contrary to the idea that all French people eat amazingly all of the time, Auntie Suzy’s ‘signature dish’ is spaghetti with butter and cheese. However, she did introduce me to this really easy yet delicious dessert. I’ve added thyme and black pepper to this recipe, but apart from that, it remains unchanged.  Serves:                 4 peoplePrep time:          10 mins, plus marinatingIngredients1 punnet strawberries150ml fresh orange juice150ml red wineA few thyme sprigsA pinch of mustard cress4 tbsp caster sugarA twist of black pepperMethod

1. Hull and slice the strawberries in half and put in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle them with sugar and leave to marinate for 20-25 minutes.
3. Add the orange juice and red wine, stir gently and taste. Add a little sugar if necessary.
4. Leave for a further five minutes and serve with the pepper, cress and thyme.

Roast lamb with garlic, baby aubergines and anya potatoes

Lamb – whether spiced and charred in the tandoor, coated with a herb crust and roasted, or simply sliced thinly and served in a sandwich with mustard, parsley and cucumber yoghurt – is a great meat for any time of year. This recipe, which pairs lamb with aubergine, is great for a roast lunch.Serves:                         4 peoplePreparation time:     15 minutesCooking time:            40 minutes, plus restingIngredients 2 racks of lamb, French-trimmed with scored fat8 baby aubergines, cut in half lengthwise1 bulb of fresh garlic (use aged if not available)4 cloves of aged garlic400g Anya potatoes, thinly sliced4 turnips, trimmed and quartered1 sprig of rosemary3 tbsp capers3 tbsp chopped parsleySplash of VermouthOlive oilSalt and pepper to seasonMethodHeat the oven to 200°C and put the potatoes, turnips, garlic cloves, rosemary and aubergine in a roasting tray. Liberally shake around with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in the oven for 15 minutes.

1. Meanwhile, heat a heavy pan and sear the lamb until the fat is golden and the meat is lightly browned. Season a little and place on top of the vegetables in the oven. Turn the heat down to 120°C and cook for around 20 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven, take out the veg and lamb and leave to rest somewhere warm. Deglaze the roasting tray with the Vermouth and strain the juices into a jug.
3. Dress the aubergine with parsley and capers and serve everything together. You can carve the lamb first if you prefer, but I think it looks great whole to carve at the table.

How to food style itAs well as tasting great, food needs to look good on the plate. Here are some tips to make yours sing:

1. Serve it on a rustic board or square plate, preferably of a dark colour to create a contrast with the meat and garlic.
2. Make your lamb look appetising and golden brown by ensuring you score and sear the meat. The French-trimmed white bones are also essential for making the meat the visual and appetising. Ensure they are wrapped in foil during the roasting.
3. Finally, don’t overdo it – spread the ingredients out delicately, so that you can see each piece of food clearly. Put any extra vegetables in a bowl to the side.

Spiced peaches with Amaretti crumbs and sage syrup

A ripe peach is a thing of beauty; soft and juicy, slightly messy and best eaten over the sink. Peaches also go really well with rich meats, but in this instance I roasted them in spices and a little wine to serve as a simple pudding. They respond really well to spices, and especially the aniseed and floral flavours of Szechuan pepper. The Amaretti biscuits complement the natural almondy flavour found in peach stones.  Serves: 4Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 35-40 minsIngredients8 peaches, on the firm side of ripe4 star anise1 cinammon stick1 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorns2 vanilla pods1 tsp ground allspice2 tbsp caster sugar1 small glass white wine (Sancerre or Gewürtztraminer are good)4-6 Amaretti biscuits, crushedA few lavender leaves and toasted almonds to garnishFor the syrup:60g caster sugar100ml water8 sage leavesMethod

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Slice and stone the peaches, lay them on a roasting tray and scatter over the remaining ingredients and pour in the wine.
3. Roast in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until nice and soft but still holding their shape.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil, then stirring until the sugar disolves. Simmer hard for another five minutes or so, until you have a nice syrup. Add the sage leaves and leave to infuse while the peaches finish cooking. Remove the sage leaves before serving.
5. Leave the peaches to cool for a while, and serve with the crushed Amaretti sprinkled over and some of the syrup. If you like, you could also serve with ice cream or very cold Eiswein.

How to food style it

1. The colour of these peaches is wonderful, so be sure to choose a plate that brings that out. I normally prefer white but in this case a grey would work well.
2. Place one half, cut side up on the plate, slightly off centre then rest the other one at an angle against it, again, cut side up.
3. Sprinkle the crumbs over the peaches, put one of the star anise on the plate along with the almonds and lavender leaves. Pour over a little syrup.

In a pickle

I must admit, I set out thinking more about the shapes and colours of this pickled vegetable dish before the flavours, as I couldn’t resist the red of radish against the bright green of cress leaves. Strong, vivid colours will always make a dish look more appetising – which must appeal to our natural instincts for healthy food – and pickling is a great way to intensify those colours.Pickling also creates a sharp contrast of flavours to freshen the palate, and everything here was so sharp, sweet, crunchy and fresh that I was hard pressed not to eat it straight from the bowl.This dish would work well with lightly-spiced chicken, steamed sea bream and lemongrass, or perhaps scallops quickly sautéed in butter and orange zest.Serves:                 4Prep time:          10 mins, plus pickling timeIngredients16 radishes, sliced as thinly as possible2 tbsp mustard cress10cm cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible1 head of Shimeji mushrooms, sliced from the base2 tbsp caster sugar2 tbsp white wine vinegar1 tbsp Mirin2 tsp Japanese rice vinegarMethod

1. Mix together the sugar and liquid ingredients in a bowl and stir well until the sugar has dissolved.
2.  Add the remaining ingredients, apart from the cress, and stir gently, making sure they are covered by the vinegar. Set aside and leave to pickle for half an hour or so.
3. Scatter over the cress and serve as a side dish or pile delicately on the plate with your chicken or fish.

How to food style it

1. If serving in the bowl as a side dish, just make sure everything can be seen. The white inner circles of the radish make great ‘frames’ for the cress and mushrooms. Try and fold the cucumber in nice waves throughout.
2. If serving directly on the plate, it’s nice to space all of the elements out and create a graphic pattern on the plate to then place the other elements in and around.
3. Use the pink sugary vinegar left in the bowl to create vivid spots and drizzles on the plate.

Fig and goat’s cheese tart with onions, tomatoes and honey

When I was at my parents’ last weekend for my dad’s birthday, I wanted to contribute something to the lunch, and brought in the figs I happened to have left over from the day before. I started first thing in the morning by caramelising some onions over a very low heat, until they turned a sweet golden brown. Nearer to lunchtime, a quick assembly of the onion, figs, goat’s cheese and tomato created a simple and pretty puff pastry tart. I didn’t, but you could add some crisped parma ham at the end to give it a little extra texture and saltiness.Serves: 6-8 as a starterPrep time: 25 minsCooking time: 1 hour for the onions, plus 25 mins for the restIngredients1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry4 white onions, thinly sliced, though red would work well too1 tsp sugar1 thyme sprig8 figs, quartered150g crumbly goat’s cheese8 cherry tomatoes1 tbsp poppy seeds1 tbsp sesame seeds1 tbsp honeyOlive oilLemon zest2 tsp balsamic vinegar, thickened slightly in a hot pan and left to coolA handful of lamb’s lettuce to garnishSalt and pepper to seasonMethod

1. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add some olive oil, the onions, thyme and a little salt and sugar. Stir occasionally and cook until they start to become translucent. Turn the heat down and cover with a lid. Check occasionally, stirring to make sure they don’t stick or burn. Cook for 45-50 minutes or until they are golden brown, sweet and rich.
2. Nearer to lunchtime, heat the oven to 180°C and roll the pastry onto a baking sheet. Prick the middle with a fork so it doesn’t rise too much, and score a 1cm border all the way around. Cook for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and spread the onions over it. Arrange the figs, goat’s cheese and tomatoes on top, sprinkle with the seeds, and drizzle with the oil, honey, balsamic and lemon zest.
3. Season well and when cooled a little, top with the lamb’s lettuce.

How to food style it

1. The pastry sheet really is a blank canvas, and with this tart the ingredients do all the work for you. Purple figs against pure whites, golden olive oil and green leaves are going to work, almost however you throw them down. Do try to build in balanced layers, making sure that every section of the tart has a good mix of the ingredients.
2. Finally, drizzle with oil and seeds to unify the surface and scatter leaves gently across, taking care to not hide the rest of the ingredients.

Beautiful bubble and squeak

In our house, it’s pretty rare for there to be any crackling left over from a roast pork – or, come to think of it, much pork. But when that does happen, I like making this version of bubble and squeak for brunch the next day. This deserves to be a dish in its own right, so it is even worth making it from scratch.Serves:                4Cooking time:   20 minsIngredientsUse whatever leftovers you have from the roast, or failing that:Shredded slow roast gammon and shattered crackling10 roast potatoes, lightly crushed with a fork½ a Savoy cabbage, finely sliced and blanched in salted water3 spring onions, shredded1 red onion, finely sliced1 tbsp Olive oil and tbsp butter to fry (or use the gammon dripping)3 dill cucumber picklesSalt and pepper to seasonMethod

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and season well.
2. Heat a frying pan and add the oil and butter until hot.
3. Throw in the cabbage and potatoes, cook well, adding the red and spring onion at the last minute.
4. Serve on warm plates with shredded cooked ham, crackling and sliced pickles, with a touch of wholegrain mustard.

How to food style it

1. With this one, the cabbage forms a great base to structure the flakes of meat, potatoes and onions on. Try to give it form and height.
2. Laying shards of crackling and slivers of spring onion on top helps give it elegance and leads your eye across the whole dish, bringing everything together.
3. A spoon of mustard and some sliced pickles finish it off, keeping it elegant while still remaining rustic. It is, after all, a dish of leftovers.

An artistic Eton Mess

Most people love strawberries, meringues and cream, but not me. I just don’t get on well with the cream, yet I love the idea and the ‘Englishness’ of the Mess. My version uses natural yoghurt with a little vanilla added, but you could use lightly whipped cream if you prefer. If you can get some wild strawberries, they make an excellent addition, while the balsamic, cress, thyme and pepper add a flavour punch, as well as being visually exciting.Talking of which, my aim here was to make the whole thing to look like a Jackson Pollock painting.Serves:                4 peopleCooking time:   1 hr (or 10 mins if you buy meringues)Ingredients2 punnets of strawberries, 1 halved, 1 puréed with a little sugar100ml natural yoghurt, with a little vanilla extract added4 fist-sized meringues, bought or home-madeA few thyme sprigs1 small bunch of salad cressA small bottle of balsamic syrup (or make your own by reducing 100ml of balsamic until you have a syrup)2 tbsp olive oilA pinch of freshly ground black pepperMethod

1. Hull one punnet of strawberries and put in a blender with a pinch of sugar. Blitz until smooth and put in the fridge while you assemble the rest.
2. Crush half the meringues and lightly break the other half. Scatter on a plate or board and add the strawberries. Give it a twist of pepper, and sprinkle over the thyme and cress. Spoon over the yoghurt and purée, then pour over the balsamic syrup and serve immediately.

How to food style it

1. This one is great fun to do and is just like being back at school with some paints. A dark, rectangular surface really helps the reds and whites stand out; I used slate here.
2. This is a question of balance on the plate, keep everything well defined by not piling it up or putting it too close together. 
3. Be really free and loose with the sauces, don’t be scared to make a mess and make bold, sweeping strokes with them.

Blood oranges - get them while you can

I couldn’t resist taking this picture on a food shoot yesterday because the colours were so amazing – and blood oranges are in season at the moment. To me, blood oranges sum up the sunny Mediterranean, so it seems odd they have their short season during the English winter.To make use of them while you can, how about putting them in a salad with fennel and a simple olive oil dressing? If you think that’s pushing the Mediterranean feel a bit far while there’s still snow on the ground, enjoy them on their own or in a juice – or better still, make them into jellies with fennel seeds and a dash of pastis for pudding.What do you like using blood oranges for?

Welcome to The Modern Husband

Welcome to The Modern Husband, where I post a wide range of recipes and writing about food I love to make – from quick family suppers to Michelin-style cooking for special occasions.I work as a freelance food stylist and writer for some of the country’s leading magazines, food suppliers and retailers. I am also head chef in my household, which includes two young children and a food-loving wife. This means that most of my time is based around creating recipes and feeding people of all ages.Nico