Fiery homemade chilli sauce that’s full of flavour

Chilli sauce has been a source of constant disappointment in my life. It’s either not as hot as it says it should be, or it’s hot but without much flavour.I remember trying a chilli sauce from Singapore, brought over by an art college friend years ago. It blew my head off, but then I didn’t have much tolerance.Now, that same sauce is easier to handle and I can really taste the flavours. I have since been searching for that balance between hot and tasty. Finally, I think I’ve found it by making it myself.It’s not for the faint-hearted, but if you can take the heat, you’ll love this one.Ingredients:50 or so chillies. I used a mix of Scotch bonnet, Naga ghoshst, birdseye, cayenne, serano and jalapeñoA good handful of rock saltA bulb of garlic, peeled6 rosemary sprigs, stalks removed10-15 black peppercorns200ml cider vinegarUnrefined golden caster sugar to tasteMethod:1. Salt the chillies in a large glass jar for about three months.2. Shake them around once or twice a week and drain off any of the liquid that comes from the chillies.3. At the end of the salting period, thoroughly rinse the chillies and drain them.4. Pour in a little of the vinegar and sugar and blitz with a stick blender until smooth, but still with some texture.5. Add more vinegar and sugar to taste until you have a fairly thick sauce.6. Store in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge, and it should be good for a month.

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.

The beautiful lentil

My favourite part of an Indian meal is most often the dhal. Dipping homemade naan into the silky, slightly spiced comforting refuge of the tarka-ed lentils is to me a little like a Sunday morning under the duvet with the papers. Or at least what I remember it to be like.

All of my friends and family love curry. It is almost our National Dish; I would bet that most people have a curry almost as often as a roast. And other countries call our food bland. The beauty of bringing influences from all over is a breadth of view unseen or ignored by the tunnel vision of countries focused on ‘tradition’.

But dhal, or dhal bhat (dhal with rice), seen often as peasants’ food, is a joy. There are many types of lentils, and each family will have their own recipe. Mine is really an attempt to recreate many of the Indian restaurants’ versions I have eaten and also the –now famous in our family– dhal curry we had on a beach in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. It almost melted my head, but it was amazing.

I don’t want that heat in mine because you need the counterpoint to any spiciness in the curry. But how the humble, earthy pulse sings when you treat it with love is, for me, a much more miraculous transformation than a prawn or ten, delicious as they are, cooked in subtle spices and coconut.

Dhal and ‘foolproof’ rice

Serves 4Prep: 20 minsCooking time: 45 mins

The key to this is keeping it simple and relaxed. Start by cooking half a finely sliced onion in a saucepan with a little olive oil and salt until softened, then add one chopped garlic clove and cook gently for a few more minutes. Add a mug full of red split lentils in three times their volume of water, season with a little more salt and add a tablespoon or two of ground turmeric. Leave them simmering, covered for about half an hour, making sure the water doesn’t boil away. Add more if necessary.

When cooked, mash half up into a paste with a wooden spoon or stick blender, put the lid back on, leave for now and get on with the rice.

Put one mug of basmati rice and one and a half of water into a saucepan. Season well with salt, cover, bring to the boil then turn down to the heat as low as possible and cook for about ten minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Remove the lid, cover with a few sheets of kitchen towel, replace the lid and set aside to steam in its own heat for up to half an hour.

To temper the spices use the following:

1tbsp black mustard seeds1tsp cumin seeds½tsp fennel seeds1tsp coriander seeds1tsp chilli flakes½tsp asaefoetida powder

Heat some olive oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the rest of the spices one by one and wait until they start to release their aromas. Be careful to not let them burn and add them, along with the oil, into the lentils. Stir quickly and cover. Leave to infuse for about ten minutes and serve with the rice, which you have fluffed up with a fork, some naan and if you are making a meal of it, a curry such as Keralan prawn curry.

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.

The only tomato sauce recipe you'll ever need

Back when my wife and I could go on holiday without having to take an entire nursery with us, we spent a week in the January gloom of a tiny Ligurian village called Apricale. Out of season and with most of the bars, restaurants and shops closed, it was pretty, quiet and pretty quiet. Of the places that were open, the one we went to most was a simple café called Locanda Tarocchi, which served amazing food that was simple but really delicious. Their antipasti was the best I’ve ever had anywhere, and their spaghetti with tomato sauce was beautiful, fresh and sweet. When I got home I tried to recreate it – and after many attempts I think I’ve got pretty close with this one.Ingredients6 tbsp good quality olive oil4 cloves of garlic, peeled1 tsp of white wine vinegar1 tbsp sugar250g of cherry tomatoes, with the vineA pinch of salt1 tsp of paprikaMethod1. In a large frying pan with the heat on already, pour in the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and cook them gently, turning occasionally until they are starting to colour and soften. Remove the garlic cloves and throw them away, or as I do, mash them up and spread on a piece of crusty bread for a snack.2. Add the vines from the tomatoes and give them a good stir round, coating them in oil and releasing their wonderful aroma into the oil.3. Throw in the tomatoes, shake the pan around for a bit and season well with the salt, paprika and sugar. Leave the tomatoes to cook for about five minutes, or until collapsing, give them a good stir and add the vinegar. Cook for a further five minutes, adjust the seasoning and add a dash of water if the sauce is too thick. Remove the vines and serve with spaghetti and plenty of parmesan.

A French lunch sourced in Crystal Palace

I really love eating like the French. Good cheese, bread, cold meats, salad and wine combine to make a perfect lunch.Making the most of the sunny morning, Noah, Maya and I went to visit the new weekly Crystal Palace food market today. It was great to see lots of stalls and lots of locals and I filled my bag with baguettes, eggs and a super hot chilli sauce from Mad Ass called Dare Ya.We eventually made it to Good Taste Food and Drink, where I bought some meltingly soft triple crème cheese – including one of my all-time favourites, Chaource – wafer-thin slices of cured ham, thin sticks of saucisson and some Fentiman’s Shandy.It was a lovely way to start the weekend and, once home, I put it all together with a tomato salad, which we ate dreaming of French summers and two-hour lunches. Our two-year-old even decided he liked the Chaource.I'm looking forward to next week’s market. I hope it goes from strength to strength and attracts even more stalls with interesting products.

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.

Slow roast, spiced, crackled pork sandwiches

I cannot resist sharing this recipe. It's a dish based on my love of American food, which was stoked by many early mornings watching Man v. Food to keep myself awake as I cuddled my newborn son.Although the challenges were sometimes a bit grotesque in the programme, the places, ingredients, regional differences and cooking techniques have stuck in my mind.For this recipe, I don't have a smoker big enough to fit brisket in. Nor can I slow-cook a whole pig for 24 hours over hickory chips, much as I’d like to. So I've taken the best bits of my Geordie granny's 'pork with crackling' recipe, spiced it up a little and mixed it with some of my hazy Man v. Food memories – and made myself a very delicious sandwich. It's not something you can quickly knock up, but get everything ready the day before and you will have a week's worth of joy and a lifetime's worth of requests for your famous pork sandwich.Serves:                6Prep time:          20 minutes, plus overnight in the fridgeCooking time:    180 minutesIngredients1.5kg pork belly2 star anise1 5cm piece of cassia bark, or cinnamon1 tsp cloves1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns1 tbsp fennel seeds1 onion1 leek2 carrotsSaltMethod

1. Lightly toast the spices in a dry sauté pan and grind to a powder with a pinch of salt.
2. Score the skin of the pork and pour boiling water all over it. This will help dry it out.
3. Pat dry with kitchen towel and rub in the spice mix, then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 220°C.
5. Chop the onion, leek and carrots. Put them in a roasting tray, then put a rack over them and the pork on that.
6. Cook for 25 minutes, then turn the heat down to 130°C and cook for a further two and a half hours. Check the skin is crisp. If not, turn up the heat to 220°C and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
7. Leave the pork to rest a while, then tear apart and serve in bread with spring onion, lettuce, mustard and smoky chilli sauce.

A search for the perfect chilli con carne

I would love to go to Texas for the barbecues and the chilli. I want to eat 24-hour smoked brisket and tender ribs with the meat falling off them. What I’d really like to try is the way the long, slow cooking over smoke makes everything pink, juicy and uniquely charred in a way that you’ll never be able to recreate in the home kitchen.Until recently, I'd only ever eaten insipid chilli, with perhaps a touch of cumin or chilli powder to tell you that it wasn't a bolognese. So when I was asked to make it for my Dad’s 60^th birthday, I was determined to find a recipe that would make me rethink it.I researched its history and how it is made in the chilli heartland of Texas, and finally came up with this version, which I think is truly delicious and has totally transformed my view of the dish.Serves:                      6 peopleCooking time:         3 hours Ingredients500g beef skirt or brisket, thinly sliced2 racks of pork ribs2 large onions, finely chopped4 cloves of garlic, crushed4 jalapeño chillies6 tbsp brown sugar2 bottles of lager200ml apple juice250ml tomato ketchupCider vinegarDijon mustard2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp Paprika1 tbsp chilli powder1 tbsp ground cumin1 tbsp Cayenne pepper1 Chipotle pepper1 Ancho chilli1 large green pepper, sliced1 tin red kidney beansFresh coriander leaves to garnishMethod

1. Make the barbecue sauce by heating some minced onion, two cloves of crushed garlic, ketchup, two tablespoons of brown sugar, the mustard, vinegar and apple juice. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce,  leave to simmer for a couple of minutes, then set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the meat and season well. Cook for a few minutes and add the chillies and spices. Stir and add the pork ribs and cook until browned.
3. Add the green pepper, pour in the lager and barbecue sauce, stir well, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook for about two and a half hours. Add the kidney beans, cook for a further half hour and serve garnished with coriander.

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.

The best Salsa Verde ever

…well, in my humble opinion it is. This is what we’re having for dinner tonight. I was craving some bright, summery flavours, and they don’t get much better than in Salsa Verde. It translates as ‘green sauce’, and that is exactly what it is – basically pesto with added panache and interest.You can tweak the proportion of herbs to your taste, but the depth comes from the capers and anchovies. Don’t be afraid of the anchovy sauce; it doesn't taste fishy in this – it just rounds everything off nicely. If you’re adamant about not including it, or are vegetarian, strong black or purple olives make a good substitute. Finally, I’ve replaced half the usual olive oil with rapeseed oil to cut down on the saturated fat, but feel free to use just one or other if you prefer.I think this goes best with seared tuna and a tomato salad, but it is also delicious with lamb or chicken. Either way, when the words “the smell of that is driving me wild” are spoken in your kitchen, you know you’re onto a winner.I love this version – plus it’s incredibly easy to make – but I’d be interested to know if anyone out there has an even better Salsa Verde recipe.Serves:                 4 peoplePrep time:          10 minsIngredients2 small bunches basil1 large bunch coriander, including stems1 large bunch parsley1 small bunch mint1 clove garlic, chopped2 tbsp capers2 tbsp dijon mustardOlive oilRapeseed oil4 dashes Angostura bittersLemon juice3 tarragon leaves1 tbsp anchovy sauce6 black olivesSaltMethod

1. Finely chop or blitz all of the ingredients together (except those listed in step 2).
2. Add the oil, lemon juice and bitters. Done!

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.