This pheasant land

I stumbled across a pheasant the other day. I say stumbled, more bought one. Sadly I wasn't a gun with my wellies and cap out on the moors looking wistfully and enigmatically at the mist shrouded land but rather more prosaically in the supermarket.Not one for the traditionally served bread sauce and game chips I decided to marinate it overnight in a gentle spiced yoghurt and serve it with a rich beluga lentil dhal, based rather loosely on black dhal (makhani) which traditionally uses urad lentils. If you're not a fan of pheasant, or can't get one or two, this recipe works rather well with poussin or chicken. The key to this is getting the grill as hot as you can and charring the bird to within an inch of its life (death?) Start by removing the backbone, flattening the bird and stabbing it all over to allow the marinade to soak in. I used a bay leaf, 200ml natural yoghurt, dried mangosteen, three green chillies, some garlic, a thumb of ginger, turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander as well as a stick of cassia bark. Remove from the marinade the next day and spoon the liquid all over the bird before grilling it on both sides for about twenty minutes. For the dhal1 very large onion1 thumb of ginger1 clove of garlic3 green finger chilliesA mugful of beluga lentils, soaked and cooked until soft (about an hour)2tsp ground cumin2tsp ground coriander1tsp ground turmeric1tsp chilli powderA large handful of spinach2tbsp ghee2tbsp rapeseed oil300ml double creamBlack salt powder (or sea salt if not)Black pepperGaram masala and coriander to serveMethodBlend the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies then gently cook them for about ten minutes in the ghee and oil.Add the spices and season well. Cook for a minute or two more. Add the drained and cooked lentils and stir well. Stir in the cream and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, Garam masala and coriander. Serve with the grilled pheasant.

Garam Masala

This spice mix, key to much Indian cooking, is so easy to make.You can tailor it to have more cinnamon, fewer cloves, a pinch of chilli heat and so on, as you wish. It goes in at the beginning of cooking and at the end to finish a dish. It peps up scrambled or baked eggs and can go in a flatbread dough. It's a real store cupboard essential here.There must be as many recipes for garam masala as there are spices and combinations. Here's mine.Ingredients1tbsp dill seeds2tbsp coriander seeds1tbsp green cardamom seeds1 black cardamom1 dried red chilli1 cassia bark stick (about six cm)1tbsp ajwain seeds1tbsp black peppercorns1tsp ground nutmeg1tsp ground mace1tbsp cumin seeds1tsp black salt powder (or Maldon salt)MethodPut all the spices in a heavy-based pan and heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Leave to cool and grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder until it becomes a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar and use as needed.

In the name of the garlic, the chilli and the holy olive oil

The grey and dreary London streets are now exploding with wispy and bedraggled underfunded Christmas lights wrapped around flickering streetlamps. Apart from the showpiece Regent Street lights, most of the decorations elsewhere seem to have been found at the back of a cupboard from the '70s. Still, not one to complain about Christmas cheer, it is now permissible to talk about celebrating it and to start making plans.Two days ago I had my first mince pie of the year. And I had it for breakfast. That's how rock and roll I am. I also managed to burn it slightly, so really it turned into dark pastry holding mincemeat at a temperature approaching that of Krakatoa in full flow. But all this aside, I have also been cooking plenty of festive food for the various shoots I've been involved in over the past fortnight. And to be honest, I need a break from ham, turkey, filo parcels, prawn canapés and the like. And with all this extra cooking, sometimes the only energy I can summon at mealtimes will last the length of time it takes to make an omelette, bake a potato or cook a quick pasta dish.That doesn't mean it should be bleak though. Simplicity is beautiful and the best ingredients don't need a lot doing to them to make something delicious. So this classic pasta dish (usually made with spaghetti, but I prefer linguine) is spot on. And this is where it's worth having great quality pasta and special olive oil. Not the stuff you'd cook with, but the secret, small 250ml bottle you keep on the shelf hidden behind the unappealing tin of mixed beans you kid yourself you'll use one day. Be generous, this is its moment.Ingredients for two200g linguine (use spaghetti if you must)2 cloves of garlicHalf a mild red chilliExcellent quality olive oilSalt and pepperGrated fresh Parmesan to serveMethodBring a huge pan of water to the boil and throw in more salt than the doctor would be happy with.Add the pasta, return to the boil and stir occasionally until cooked al dente. Drain, but not quite fully - it's better if you keep back a tablespoon or two of the starchy cooking water - and return to the pan.While the pasta is boiling grate or mince the garlic, finely slice the chilli and add the olive oil to a saucepan. Heat until the garlic starts to fizz and bubble a little then season and remove from the heat.Add the pasta to the oil, or the other way round if you haven't enough space and mix so all the linguine is coated and silky with oil.Serve immediately with a blizzard of cheese, black pepper and some more of that excellent oil.

Korea choices

I don't drift gently into the morning when it comes to breakfast. I can't bear sonnets and clouds on the plate, their rose petals gently easing me into the day. I want to be punched in the face and charged headlong by a rhinoceros of flavour.Of course, if a gentle tinkling of the bell brings the opening of the curtains and a cup of spiced masala tea to my bedside by my valet I'm not against that, but I will soon be found powering up the creaking espresso machine and rootling around in the cupboard to select various spices to put on my eggs or easing open the weighty fridge drawer to dig out a red chilli that has possibly seen better days to slice and have with fresh mango and an uncoordinated squeeze of lime juice.Not for me Roald Dahl's breakfast cereal "made of all those little curly wooden shavings you find in pencil sharpeners". It's the time for food to excite you, wake you up, get you going. Not bore you back to sleep until lunchtime.But perhaps I've developed a stronger stomach, working with and around food every day. If you are cooking a recipe at nine in the morning, you need to be able to taste it, even if it is liver paté. Ok. That does sound pretty gross first thing.This has been an interesting week for food finds. I have been working with recipes from Korea, Japan and China and had to visit my now new favourite shop. A Korean one called H Mart. I now want to live there. There is something utterly fascinating about food shops from other countries. Tooting High Street or Southall's is Aladin's cave to me. I love Wing Yip in Croydon, but I fear now my loyalties have changed. Perhaps you could call it a Korea choice. On holiday, a trip to the local supermarket is a highlight. (Unless we're on holiday in Devon near the Exmouth Tesco, in which case shoot me).I feel a frisson of excitement when I see the strange looking Germanic produce in places like Lidl, or the Turkish neon sausages and vats of impenetrably labelled yoghurt (at least that's what I assume it is) next to the goats' hearts in the fridges of the Penge Food Centre. If there's something with a funny name or a colourful paper package, it's going in my basket. Small wonder one of the cupboards fell off the kitchen wall a few years ago.For the first time, this week I ate okonomiyaki; delicious Japanese cabbage pancakes, a sort of battered cabbage rosti. They were slathered in three sauces, one spicy, one sweet and one rich. And that was not the first food of the day. I'd already had a small glass of black garlic juice and a plastic container full of garlic scapes in chilli sauce (one based around gochujang) so by this point I was ready for whatever you could throw at me.The next morning I managed half a tub of dried deep fried crisp anchovies with peanuts and deep fried cauliflower in spicy batter with barbecue sauce before most people had tucked into their tea and toast. It has been a good week for food and one that makes me realise just how much there is to explore, taste and discover, even before Jeeves has ironed the Times for me.

A potted fish story

Kevin, our plumber, has buggered off to France on the proceeds of our unfinished boiler. This has, however, led to the discovery of an unopened tin of ghee beneath the fuse box in the cupboard. It may not be quite the same as finding a Rembrant in the attic but still, it's a nice surprise.For many years I've been bored senseless by potted shrimp. And recently in Devon I swore that if I were to ever have another crab sandwich it would be under circumstances of extreme duress. And as for fish and chips, there is only one acceptable situation to eat them, and that is in winter on a cold and blowy beach. There, and only there, can you eat hot, salty, vinegar laced chips and pearly, soft white flaking fish. Even then it's still rubbish.However, I believe most things can be improved by the judicious application of spice. I'd add spices to anything, possibly even my toothpaste to pep it up and excite me. Wars and empires have been fought and forged over them, so the least I feel I can do is use them. And this recipe is proof why. I've swapped prawns for crayfish, clarified butter for curry leaf infused ghee and replaced nutmeg, Cayenne pepper and mace with garam masala. (The nutmeg, Cayenne and mace have, in a nod to the original, gone into the bread).It's a pretty quick dish and a real flavour hit. Serve with the butter still slightly soft but deep yellow and translucent.Ingredients160g crayfish tailsA small handful of curry leaves, ideally fresh, the dried ones are a load of rubbish1tbsp garam masalaA pinch of salt and pepper2 spring onions2 green finger chillies, slicedA load of ghee (about 250g)2tbsp coconut oilA few coriander leavesFor the bread2tbsp chickpea (gram) flour2tbsp wholemeal flour150ml waterA good grating of nutmeg1tsp Cayenne pepper1tsp powdered maceA pinch of saltA few twists of pepperMethodMelt the ghee and coconut oil and add the curry leaves, garam masala and season well with salt and pepper. Leave to cool a little and skim the surface of any impurities.Divide the crayfish between two pots and add the spring onions and chilli.Pour the butter over the crayfish and leave to chill in the fridge until fairly set, but still spoonable, a bit like a melting mango sorbet. If serving later, you'll need to remove them about half an hour in advance to soften unless you want to practice your spoon bending.Make the bread (although it's more like a sort of pancake-type affair) by mixing the ingredients together to form a fairly thick, spreadable batter.Heat a cast iron pan until very hot then spoon on half the mixture and start to spread it around the pan, almost as if you were painting it on. As it cooks, this will become easier and you should be able to form a circle, but don't worry, make it whatever shape you like, as long as it is an even thickness.Leave it to cook until golden on one side, then flip over and finish it off. Repeat with the remaining mix.Serve the bread with the pots of crayfish, a sprinkle of coriander leaves and some Bombay mix, which I suggest you buy. If you think I'm making my own, you can think again.

Simple Pleasures

Garlic grilled lobster, 24 hour slow-roast pork, smoked salmon scrambled eggs, roast chicken. The list of snacks the children are asking me for each evening they get back from after school club is becoming a joke. And now, they are demanding I just whip them up a tarte Tatin.*They already have a strong attachment to certain dishes, and as they grow up these meals will be remembered and recreated with, I hope, the same comforting happiness I attach to my childhood meals from my mum and grandparents. Most people love their mum's roast chicken, or their Granny's apple crumble. Although in my case I've developed a love for frozen chocolate gateaux wafted with the aroma of Player's Navy Cut cigarettes. It's a funny thing, nostalgia.I don't think they will talk fondly of Daddy's lark's wing soufflé with basil foam, compressed finger lime and watermelon (Nb.) but will probably look fondly on the roasts, bolognese, crumbles, 'taco day', korma with fluffy rice and soothing dhal and the simple home cooking we all crave as adults.The classics are classic for a reason. And generally survive because of their simplicity. That doesn't necessarily mean they're all completely easy to make. A beurre blanc or Hollandaise can easily split, a risotto can become as thick and stodgy as Donald Trump and a salmon steak can be as tough as a shoe if you don't pay attention. But the pleasure these simple dishes give is as joyful as a walk on a misty autumn morning or reading a book by the fire on a cold night.And so to the tarte Tatin. Or, if you prefer, the tarte Solognote. Traditionally made with apples it's the French comfort food par excellence. I also love making it with pears, but may cast my net as wide as mirabelle plums, apricots and even banana for a laugh. It also works brilliantly with shallots for a savoury version. Make sure you use a good pan that is suitable for the hob and oven. I use the incomparable prospector pan from Netherton Foundry, a thing of great beauty.This time, I made my own puff pastry from scratch. It's a wonderful thing to do and the difference is sublime. It's very easy, really, it just takes a little time so do it on a weekend, make plenty and freeze it. I'm not going to give a recipe here for it, but be prepared to use  a whole block of butter. You'll also need a dedicated spot in the kitchen, it needs rolling, folding and chilling about seven times.Failing that, buy some all butter ready-made puff pastry. You can't be as smug, but it will still give a very good result. I used a mix of Bramley and Braeburn apples this time, but fully Braeburned is usually how I roll. I also sprinkled a little thyme into the mix but that's up to you. Whatever you choose to do, this is a dish of most excellent comfort.Ingredients1 Braeburn apple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges3 Bramley apples, as aboveA good handful or two of unrefined golden caster sugarA splodge of butterEnough rolled out puff pastry to cover the top of the pan with an overhang to tuck inA pinch of thyme if you likeMethodGet the oven nice and hot. About gas mark 8 or 220c.Heat the sugar in the pan until it melts and starts to turn to a soft caramel. Add the butter and neatly layer in the apples. Cook for a minute or two then add the thyme if using and layer the pastry over the top, tucking it in around the apples edges.Transfer to the oven and cook for about twenty minutes, until the pastry is risen and golden.Remove from the oven and carefully turn upside down onto a plate. Leave for a minute before removing the pan and serve hot or warm. Or eat it cold from the fridge just before bed when no-one's looking.*Not true. They normally ask for a yoghurt or banana or the occasional biscuit. We haven't raised Veruca Salt and her brother here.

Ooh, The Cheek Of It.

The slow change from vivid green to red, yellow, orange. And then how quickly the trees become bare and the glorious colours give way to brown and grey sludgy streets.In the seemingly few hours of daylight we have over the winter months we celebrate the warmth of the fireside. Scarves, gloves, hats and thick woolen jumpers wrapped around us keep us cosy when we venture outside, often leaving and returning home in the dark.I welcome the smells from the slow cooker more than any dog's wagging tail as a greeting. And here we are, only at the gentle tip of the cold months, yet it feels like it's the time for stews. Meat falling from bones into rich and thick broths, individual flavours combining like the instruments in an orchestra to create one symphony.A cast-iron pan with a lid in a very low oven does just as well as a slow cooker, and if you're happy leaving the oven on all day it's the perfect way to cook. However, you may not fancy chopping and browning chunks of meat while drinking your morning coffee and wondering why you have to ask the children twenty times to put a sock on. I have neither the time nor inclination, getting out of a warm bed is tragedy enough. In which case these are best done the night before, or on a weekend when you have a more leisurely start to the day.Of course white potatoes work just as well as the purple ones, which may be a little tricky to find; crushed Anyas would be a real treat. Whatever you use, nothing quite beats the deliciousness of all those juices soaked up by the buttery potatoes. This really is one of those meals that feels like you're back home in the warmth of the family.Tarragon adds a little last of the summer sparkle to the flavours, hinting with its warm aniseed at the comfort to come. If you don't have any, a good handful of chopped parsley running through would be just as nice.Ingredients500g ox cheek, cut into chunks1 onion, roughly choppedA thumb of ginger, chopped1tbsp oregano1tbsp flour1/2 a bulb of garlic1 red pepper, chopped2tbsp tomato purée500ml beef stockLarge pinch of dried mushroomsSalt and pepperPotatoes to serve, cooked and crushed with butter, spring onion and some shredded tarragon.MethodHeat a heavy sauté pan with some oil and sear the beef well until browned. Try not to smoke out the kitchen and set of the smoke alarms in a panicked succession as I did. And sear the meat in batches to avoid boiling rather than caramelising it.Add the flour and stir well, coating all the meat. This will help thicken the sauce. Add to the slow cooker or casserole. Deglaze the sauté pan with a little water or wine and add the juices along with the remaining ingredients.Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours in the slow cooker, or eight hours in a very low oven. (140c. Gas mark 1) Serve with the potatoes and perhaps some broccoli or garlic green beans.

Mushrooms on Toast

A funny thing, mushrooms. There is a tree stump, large and dividing the path down the hill in the park on the way to school. Last winter and this has seen its base decorated with a curtain of mushrooms like a valance sheet, skirting the ground. The children find it repulsive and fascinating at the same time and trying to persuade them that it is similar to the ones you eat is a challenge. I may as well wave a cowpat in their faces.Once you get past the toadstools and poison of our fairy-tales and don't eat random ones that foxes and dogs have added to, mushrooms are a thing of great flavour and versatility. I'm too ignorant and scared to forage my own, so I buy from the shops and especially from Nicki's Mushrooms when she's around. I like living, thanks very much.Bee and I ate barbecued mushrooms one late summer on the Greek Island of Paxos and they were a revelation. Marinated in olive oil, thyme and garlic they were smoky and sublime. I'll always do a plate of them when we have a sunny summer weekend here in London and the barbecue gets uncovered and de-cobwebbed.My other favourite, and this is the one I'm sharing here, comes from a small, wonky, oak-beamed tudor pub called The Spotted Dog in Penshurst, down in the Weald of Kent. It's such a cosy place, just the kind of pub they'd use as a location in the Muppets Christmas Carol. The views are beautiful, the fires are hot and cosy and the building is old English charm itself.We went for lunch quite a few years ago and a dish similar to this was on the menu. It was the blue cheese and mustard that made it. It was comforting, simple, rich and filling. It takes minutes to make, the mushrooms cook while the toaster is toasting and then you just bring it all together and serve hot and fresh, the mushrooms soaking up the creamy sauce and the bread giving that great contrast between crisp and soft. A crunch against the comfort. They used white mushrooms, which worked well. It's up to you, just make sure you pile them high and use plenty of cream. It's also good with some toasted breadcrumbs sprinkled over the top.IngredientsA selection of mushrooms. I used porcini, pieds bleus and girolles. Roughly two handfuls per personA small handful of parsley, chopped3tbsp creme fraiche for tang or double cream for richnessA large garlic clove, finely chopped1tbsp wholegrain mustardA sprig of rosemaryA sprinkling of breadcrumbsA small wedge of Dolcelate, crumbledSalt and pepperSourdough bread, toasted to golden.MethodSlice the mushrooms and heat a sauté pan with a good amount of olive oil.Add the mushrooms and cook on high, tossing them about a bit for a few moments.Add the garlic and half the rosemary and season well, then cook the mushrooms until they are starting to colour. Don't let them get too soft though, they should have a little firmness.Stir in the creme fraiche, mustard and cheese and grind in some pepper. Heat through and stir in the parsley.Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve on the toast, buttered if you like.

Philly Cheesesteaks. One Wiz Wit'

In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground where I spent most of my days. Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, and all shooting some b-ball outside of the school.Of course, times have changed since I was Will Smith back in the late eighties. And to be honest, I've only ever been to Philly once, and my memory of it is a little hazy. I don't even think we went downtown, let alone west.It is, though, where I first met this sandwich and it has now reached an almost mythical status in my mind. I was about 14 when my dad and I went to Philadelphia to stay with family. I have four abiding memories of that trip: waiting in the atrium of the Showboat casino in Atlantic City while my dad very quickly lost some money on the slot machines; eating oyster balls, possibly with horseradish sauce in a seafood restaurant somewhere; recording the local radio station onto a cassette to bring back to England with me and George taking us to an open food truck to eat the famous Philly Cheesesteak. I've never had one since. And seeing as how it's unlikely I'm going to be in Philadelphia for a while, I decided to take matters into my own hands before my desire for one made me do something silly.It seems almost impossible to get the key ingredient here in London, which is Cheez-whiz. I could have it shipped over at ridiculous cost for a jar of sauce, but I'm not stupid. So I made it myself. Sometimes, it's the trashiness and synthetic-ness that gives a dish its special place in your heart. There is a funny subversion in pouring this stuff over a good quality beautiful rib-eye steak. Often the reality will never taste as good as the memory, but that doesn't stop the quest.Thinly sliced. I don't think there can be any room for chunky steaks in a sandwich. And some people like to add mushrooms and green peppers, but that just seems wrong to me and to my Philly family, who do suggest that hot chillies on the side are a good and acceptable addition.And it needs to be juicy. Almost dripping. Cheese sauce and steak juice down the front of your shirt kind of dripping. To be honest, you aren't really going to go far wrong with a good steak sandwich. And if you're ever in Philadelphia, please pick me up a jar of cheez whiz. Sadly I don't think the sandwich would travel well.Ingredients:For the rolls (makes 4, so freeze some):800g flour300ml warm water7g yeast25ml vegetable oil7g saltA pinch of sugar (I used coconut sugar, as usual, but you can use unrefined caster)The steak:No question, it has to be rib-eye. One thick steak will fill a roll and depending on your appetite, you may eat a whole one, or it could feed two. I could only manage half.The 'Cheez Whiz':A large handful of grated mature cheddar. (Some may argue in favour of processed cheese)2tbsp Philadelphia Cheese (natch)2tsp garlic powder2tsp onion powder1tsp mustard powder (I may try a good squeeze of American mustard next time)150ml hot milkFried onions, hot. I used two red ones, sliced thinly, but only because inexplicably I had no white ones left.Method:Make your bread by mixing the dough ingredients together after the yeast has been foamed in a little warm water. Knead for five minutes and leave to rise for about 45.Shape the dough into four long hoagie roll shapes and leave to rise for another 20.Heat the oven to 180c and bake the bread for about 20 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.If you don't want to make your own bread, you can use half baguettes or similar. At to toasting or not, that's up to you, but I don't believe they are.Cook the very well seasoned steak on a searingly hot griddle pan. I use cast iron and I also give it a very good blowtorching as it cooks to help char the fat and give the meat a little flame-grilled edge. Remove from the pan and leave it to rest while you fry the onions in a little oil added to the steak pan and make the sauce.Mix the cheese ingredients together in the food processor and blend until smooth, taking care to not explode hot milk everywhere because the lid wasn't on properly.Thinly slice the steak, load it into the rolls and top with the onion and cheez whiz. Get a few napkins and eat. 

Lamb Shanks with Spaghetti Squash

Last night the oven caught fire. I'd only popped out for a while and left Bee a lasagne to heat for supper. We've had it for about 13 years, and it has seen two replacement heating elements and a couple of glass doors which shattered for no obvious reason. It also has always sounded like a derailing freight-train since we bought it, so perhaps it's time for a new one.The central heating part of the boiler, which now is being called into service after it's summer holiday has decided it also has had enough. Even that has had so many parts replaced I'm not sure if it's the same boiler we started with.And finally, to complete the trinity, the brakes on Bee's car failed as well. It's been a good week for the repair industry.Back in the kitchen, all is not lost without an oven. I'm baking bread in my neighbour, Russel's one, which has its own peculiarities. It's rather like the peasant taking his loaf to the village bakery to be cooked. I can't, however, impose full roasting usage upon him every evening.  So it's pots and pan cookery for the immediate future.Fortunately, the season is perfect for slow cooking. A strong, heavy deep pot, preferably cast iron and with a lid is a kitchen essential. You can make meals with just one burner and fill up on hearty and healthy food.I'm buy our meat from Heal Farm in Devon and the quality is amazing. Knowing where it comes from and being able to speak directly to the farmers is a privilege. It's not much more expensive than the supermarkets and the little extra it costs is, in my opinion a price worth paying for the quality and care.These lamb shanks were so rich and flavoursome. A proper autumn meal, and very easy to cook using one pan. Fortunately, I roast the squash earlier in the day so it only required a quick warming through. You, with your fancy, functioning oven should be fine to cook it as normal. If you can't find spaghetti squash, swap it for pumpkin or sweet potato mash with thyme and almonds.This is a rich and meaty meal. A proper dish if you've just been out hewing logs or something. And one that, after a few minutes preparation, pretty much cooks itself. It's also perfect for the slow cooker if you have one. Eight hours on low should do it.Ingredients for two2 lamb shanksOlive oil1 tin of chopped tomatoes1 bulb of garlic, halved equatorially1 large red chilliA pinch of cumin seedsOne spaghetti squashA pinch of fresh thymeA small handful of toasted almond flakesSalt and pepper to seasonMethodSeason the lamb shanks with salt and pepper then brown them all over in a little oil in a very hot pan.Deglaze the pan with about a mug-full of water and add the lamb and liquid to a heavy, lidded casserole dish.Add all the remaining ingredients and cook for about two and a half hours on a low flame. It's even better if you cook this the day before you need it. It tastes just a little more rounded after a good rest.For the spaghetti squash, roast it for one hour in the oven at about 180c. Leave it to cool a little, so it doesn't steam your face off when you cut into it. Scoop out all the flesh. Sprinkle over some thyme and almond flakes and a little seasoning and serve with the lamb and sauce.

Aubergine in Oil (Melanzane Sott'Olio)

I Tarocchi is a bar in the small Ligurian hilltop town of Apricale. It was the week before Valentine's Day, about a thousand years ago before we had children and Bee and I had gone to live in the cold Italian winter for a week's break.The old stone house we had rented was charming and a little damp downstairs, probably rather like the old man who sat dressed in black outside his front door up the street watching very little passing by. We relaxed on either a sofa made from rocks or a single balcony chair and wondered if there was anyone anywhere, or whether we'd come to the end of civilisation. It was very quiet. However, and unsurprisingly given the Italians' love of food, there were plenty of eating opportunities around even if it felt like even the ghosts had left town.As we ventured out for the first evening, fully dressed for an Arctic expedition for fear of catching a mal aria, a few  locals were gainfully employed trying to string red paper hearts and bunting around the town square. Only one restaurant was closed, to open for the 'season' the week after we left, which of course made it seem from last year's weathered  menu the best restaurant in Italy.We passed a small village shop, nothing special, but still full of food that would shame an expensive London deli. This was to serve us for basic needs. There was also a grocer round the corner which was more like a few shelves the farmer was in charge of making beautiful and here we bought our veg. But it was I Tarocchi which captured our valentine hearts.Glued to the hill's edge and illuminated by the peculiar Italian love for strip lights, it looked more like a bad youth club than a place to eat. Tinny music played from cheap speakers and no expense was spent on decoration. We sat outside like lunatics, just for the view and ordered a plate of antipasti. The food was brilliant. Here we discovered that a  simple tomato pasta can be the greatest dish in the world, and I've based my recipe on theirs ever since. And there, antipasti reached great heights. It included melanzane sott'olio. This wasn't the first time for me, I'd had it before but sort of forgotten about it and it took a little while to remember what it was.Piled on top of the salumi, Parma ham, artichokes and Ligurian olives were strings of matchstick thin aubergine. Garlicky and herbal they tasted rich, decadent and luxurious. Simple, classic Italian and a superb way to use this king of vegetables. I made some immediately upon our return, eat them and promptly forgot about them again. It was only at Crystal Palace food market last weekend, where I saw the wonderful striped aubergines that they firmly bounced back into my mind. They're well worth making if you have a few aubergines lying around (don't we all), and well worth remembering too.Ingredients2 aubergines, sliced thinly and cut into long matchsticks2 cloves of garlic, peeled1tbsp dried oreganoA handful of fine sea saltOlive oil to cover2tbsp white wine vinegarMethodPlace the aubergine in a colander and toss through the salt, mixing well. Cover and leave for about 12 hours.Rinse the aubergines gently and squeeze dry, as dry as possible.Put in a sterilised jar with the garlic, oregano and vinegar then cover in olive oil. Leave for a few days in the fridge before eating and keep for up to a week, if it lasts that long.

Taco Chance on Me

We've recently started taco evenings with the children and they've been a roaring success. I suppose it's the spread of food in front of them and the feeling of building your own meal that appeals to them. We're sharing everything together and I think it means they feel quite grown up and part of the fun.Usually, I'll just make a chicken dish seasoned with cumin, oregano, chilli and other bits and pieces (we call it taco seasoning, it could be called adobo spices), but this time I got the heavy guns out and went a bit nuts. There was plenty left over which went in freezer bags for next time, so it wasn't as crazy as it looked when I lay it all down. I'd suggest picking one or two dishes depending on how many people you're feeding and depending on how long you want to spend in the kitchen. I was in a food frenzy, you may not want to be.Whatever you do, you must serve the tacos with guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes and grated cheddar.The dishes we had are as follows (deep breath):Homemade corn tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, adobo sauce, chicken with taco seasoning, red onion pickle, sour cream, slow cooked shredded pork cheek with barbecue sauce, fried prawns with Old Bay seasoning, lime and coriander mayonnaise, shredded gem lettuce,spring onions, coriander leaves  and lime wedges.All this for an early evening supper with the kids. Totally bonkers and never again on such a scale, unless someone pays me.The children loved making the tortillas though, and if you don't have a tortilla press (they're cheap and available on mexgrocer.co.uk along with almost everything you may need for mexican receipes) you may want to save yourself the bother and buy corn tortillas ready-made. Of course, they're not as good and often have wheat flour in but if it saves your nerves from becoming as shredded as the pork, then it's probably a good thing.The pickled red onion recipe is here, but for the rest (apart from guacamole, I'm not going to bother giving a recipe for that) hold your breath and keep reading.Corn Tortillas:One part masa harina (corn flour) to one part warm water and a pinch of salt.Simply mix the ingredients together until they form a dough much like 'playdoh', leave to rest and then form into small balls and press between sheets of plastic (I used a cut up ziplock sandwich bag) on the tortilla maker. Cook on a volcanic cast-iron griddle pan until both sides are tortilla-like then throw on a plate and continue until you have a pile of them. Cover and leave until you're ready to eat.Pico de Gallo:This is essentially a fiery tomato salsa, but here, I've left the cherry tomatoes quite large so it's a little like a salad. Just mix together a load of chopped cherry tomatoes, some finely sliced onions, a chopped serrano chilli, some fresh coriander, salt and a good squeeze of lime juice. Leave to rest for about twenty minutes before serving.Adobo Sauce:I soaked a large dried ancho and chipotle chilli in hot water for about half an hour then blended it with a thumb of ginger a tablespoon of ground cumin and a pinch of salt. That's it. It's pretty intense and sharp, but goes really well with the other dishes.Chicken with Taco Seasoning:Take one chicken breast and slice it thinly across. Toss it in a bowl with as much as you feel of paprika, pepper, onion powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, chilli powder and ground coriander. Why don't you start with equal amounts of each, see what you like and adjust it from there. Then, as I have done, you can make a big jar of it and you've got tacos a-go-go hey presto!Sauté the chicken in a hot frying pan with some olive oil until cooked. Add a splash of water at the end to deglaze the pan and pour everything into a bowl.Shredded Pork in Barbecue Sauce:This is a slow-cooker winner. I now buy all my meat from the incredible Anne Petch at Heal Farm in Devon. It's close to the supermarket prices and miles above in quality and welfare. She sends it by courier the next day and I cannot recommend her highly enough. I discovered her in Jane Grigson's 'English Food' and was delighted to find she's online and thriving. I felt I knew the pigs I was eating, and being in London feel much more connected to the food as is possible in a city.Take one onion, two cloves of garlic and 500g of pork cheek (diced) and brown them in a pan with some olive oil. Season well and add to the slow cooker.Add one sliced green chilli and some dried thyme sprigs and turn the slow cooker onto high. If you don't have one, you could cook this in a casserole in a low oven for the same amount of time.Make the barbecue sauce by stirring together: 1tsp tomato purée, a pinch of coconut sugar (or brown if you don't have any), a good squeeze of lime juice, probably about a lime's worth, a large pinch (depending on the size of your fingers) of garlic powder, some chilli powder, Cayenne pepper, thyme leaves, dried oregano, ground cumin, finely diced onion, chipotle paste, a good splash of Worcestershire sauce, a spoonful of Dijon mustard and some tabasco sauce. As for exact amounts, just trust your nose and instincts. I make mine with varying pinch sizes every time and it's always delicious.Add the barbecue sauce to the pork cheeks, stir well and cook with the lid on on high for four hours. Cool a little and shred with a pork. Pour into a bowl to serve. This one's a winner the next day in a sandwich too.Fried Prawns with Old Bay Seasoning:Or shrimp, as the Americans would have it, is a version of the famous fish taco. You can buy Old Bay here and I'd recommend a box for the packaging alone. I made a quick batter with flour, sparkling water and a good few spoons of Old Bay then deep-fried them until crisp. Easy as that.Lime and Coriander Mayonnaise:Make some mayonnaise and stir in some lime juice, lime zest, pepper and chopped coriander. What else do you want to know?And that's pretty much all you need for a taco party. Just make sure you're wearing elasticated trousers and have no plans for the evening. Even if you're having these at lunchtime.

Quick Pickled Red Onion

The eye-watering sharpness of a pickled onion from the fish and chip shop feels like they've been steeped in jet fuel or paint stripper. It appeals to me in the same way sour sweets or extra-hot chillies do, almost a test of endurance. But there is pleasure to be had in bitterness. The sharpness of pickles cuts through the richest meat and it's no wonder jalapenos in vinegar are a staple with nachos, or chutneys and sharp fruits go so well with roasts or cold leftovers.I often get these ideas in my head that it would be greatly frugal and Mrs Beeton-like if I made a ton of apple chutney or a vat of pickled courgettes and so on. But in truth, these jars sit at the back of the cupboard slowly softening and melting until I need the jar for something else.Knowing myself better, I find it much better to make small quantities of quick pickles for immediate use and occasional using up over the coming fortnight. Radish and mushroom for example to go with a quick poached salmon fillet for a light supper. Just a small bowlful, covered with vinegar and sugar and rested for about twenty minutes is perfect.Here, I've made half a jar of red onion slices in white wine vinegar. Perfect for our weekly tacos with the children as a final topping and also finding its way into the occasional sandwich.It's still important to sterilise the jar. But this is as easy as giving it a quick wash with hot soapy water and blasting it in the microwave for two minutes. Don't forget to remove the metal parts beforehand though.Ingredients2 red onions, peeled and finely slicedEnough white wine vinegar to cover2tbsp salt2tbsp coconut sugar or unrefined golden caster or brown sugarAbout ten peppercornsOne or two red chillies1tbsp allspice berriesA sprig of thymeA couple of fresh bay leavesMethodPut the onions in a sieve and pour over a kettle-full of boiling water to soften and blanch them.Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and add the remaining ingredients.Put the onions in a glass jar and pour over the vinegar mixture. Leave for at least half an hour before eating but it tastes even better the next day. This keeps well for about five days. And goes brilliantly with fish and seafood as well as tacos.

Lamb and Rosemary Stuffed Squash

The evening light fades so quickly in September. It feels like only last week that the sun was setting late after nine o'clock and our nights were short with dawn flooding the bedroom around four.Now, it seems barely seven and candles are being lit and quilts thrown on the sofa. But for me, this is a time of great happiness. It's hygge time. Time to get roasting, stuffing and braising. There still will be salad on our table most nights though, no one comes between me and lettuce. Not even nature.I found these beautiful gem squash, fitting their name perfectly, at Crystal Palace Food Market on the weekend, among other great fruits of the season. A giant spaghetti squash, heavy as a medicine ball,  striped yellow and green courgettes, firm and skinny, ready for dicing and sautéing quickly with some garlic and olive oil. There were thick, short cucumbers, perfect for a salad, tasty and thick skinned unlike the watery green sticks of the supermarket.The colours of the season are reflected in the stalls. The oranges, browns and deep greens mirror the leaves on and off the trees. Black kale, red chard stalks and the inky purple of beetroot look like a Spanish still life and those evenings, warm inside against the soon to be here misty, haunted nights seem to be a comforting pleasure against the dark.I stuffed the squash with cubes of lamb chop. Cook the lamb first to render the fat and give some colour to the meat. Then let it cool a little and shred it from the bone. And if you don't have mushroom ketchup, use Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to have a gentle hand with the seasoning, those bottles pack a punch, and if you want chilli heat rather than warmth, add another chilli, or a sprinkle of chilli flakes.Ingredients6 gem squash, tops cut off and seeds scooped out6 smallish lamb chops1/2 a red onion, finely diced1 fat clove of garlic, finely sliced2 sprigs-worth of rosemary leaves, well chopped2tbsp pearl barley (I used toasted barley for extra nutiness)2tbsp mushroom ketchup1 red chilli, choppedA small handful of hazelnuts, choppedMethodHeat the oven to high and prepare the filling.Sear the chops all over and add the onion, garlic and chilli to the pan. Turn the heat down and continue cooking until the onion is soft and translucent.Add the barley and rosemary and a fairly large splash of water. Let that reduce away for a few minutes then add the mushroom ketchup.Remove the lamb, let it cool a little so you can then take the meat from the bones and finely chop it.Mix back into the pan and stuff each squash to the top. Sprinkle over the nuts and put the lids back on.Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the squash are soft.Serve straight from the dish.

Rolled Lamb with Pistachio and Apricot

I prefer Autumn lamb, more flavoursome than spring and in my mind, less mean-spirited to eat. It's had a chance to gambol about and is saved from the misery of the long dark days of winter. It will never know what it's like to leave the shed first thing in the morning in the dark and come home after a hard day still in the dark. It's had one glorious summer.Harissa, garlic and rosemary were born to go with lamb. Spread all over a leg and studded through is a heavenly mix. Here though, I've stuffed the breast with a few other bits and pieces then rolled it tightly, slowly roasting it, at first on high to crisp the skin, then slowly for a few more hours so all the flavours melt into each other. Once you've done the chopping, which is a pretty quick job, you can just put it in the oven and you're free to do some gambolling of your own.We ate this with a butter bean mash laced with lemon juice to cut through the richness. All you need for this is a tin of butter beans, the juice of half a lemon, some salt and thyme sprigs. Heat them all together in a pan and crush until mashed.Ingredients1kg lamb breastA few thyme sprigs, leaves only1tbsp cumin seedsSalt and pepper3tbsp harissa1/2 red onion, sliced1 red chilli, finely sliced1 fat garlic cloveFor the stuffing6 dried apricots, preferably the natural black ones, choppedA handful of pistachios, crushed1tsp capers1tbsp ground cinnamon1/2 block of fetaMethodHeat the oven to 220cRoll back the layers of meat and sprinkle the thyme and cumin seeds under the first layer of skin.Lay the next layer back down and spread all over with the harissa then sprinkle over the pistachio. Spread over the onion, garlic and chilli then the apricot and capers.Crumble over the feta and sprinkle on the cinnamon.Tightly roll the lamb and tie it well all round with string.Cook for half an hour then turn the oven down to 150c and cook for another two and a half hours. Leave to rest and carve into slices.

Orzo I Thought

And the nights are drawing in. Summer's almost gone, before we know it we shall be wearing makeup and knocking on neighbours doors demanding sweets. Even if you don't have children, this is great fun. I'd even suggest doing it mid-July if you fancy a laugh.But before then, it's my favourite time of year. The leaves turn gold and orange, the crisp, blue mornings with their low sun skies turn the walk to school into a show of colour and misty breath, wrapped up against the coming winter. It's the time to eat comforting food that's not quite long slow-braised beef shin stews, thick, rich and brown, but bridges the seasons.Cooking the pasta in the pan with everything else gives it real depth and reminds me of some of the meal in a bowl soups my mum used to make for us. There's so much going on, but really takes very little effort to make. Fresh bay leaves from the tree make the difference here, but use dried if you must. And don't bother doing your own peppers, just buy a good jar of them. There are some things that just aren't worth the fuss.Ingredients for four4 skin on chicken supremes4 garlic cloves, peeled1 red onion, cut into wedges1tbsp dried oregano2 bay leaves1 jar of roast red peppers, drainedA handful of good black olives250g orzo1tsp bouillon powderBoiling water to coverOlive oilSalt and pepper to seasonMethodHeat some oil in a large, lidded, heavy and shallow pan. Fry the chicken, seasoned, skin-side down until golden then turn and cook for a couple of minutes.Add the garlic and onions and cook for a minute longer.Throw in the peppers, olives, bay, bouillon, and orzo then just cover with boiling water. Sprinkle over the oregano and cover with the lid.Cook gently for about ten minutes, until the orzo is soft, but with a little bite.Serve from the pan at the table.

Pork Chops with Mustard and Cream

We don't often eat pork chops in my house. We've had the fear put into us by my mother-in-law that we will have a terrible night's sleep if we eat pork in the evening. Also, I've possibly been put off it by years of having to endure eating grey, leathery shoe-sole tasteless meat disguising itself as food. You'd think it was still wartime the way some people still cook it.Make sure you but good quality pork, from well looked after pigs. That's a good place to start. And don't be scared of it being a little pink in the middle. That way, it will be juicy, tender and flavoursome and will, with hope, overcome bad memories of the school lunch hall, chewing interminably and trying to move 'food' around the plate to make it look as though you've polished most of it off and are bloody well grateful, boy. I didn't fight in the trenches surviving on tinned pilchards for you to etc etc.Today's recipe is simple and very quick to make. Pork, creamy mushrooms and mustard is a classic combination and while it may seem to be a little old-fashioned, there's nothing wrong with that; delicious is delicious. The sesame broccoli brings it out of the aspidistra lined 1970's suburbs a little, just don't boil the veg. for four hours.Ingredients for four people4 good thick pork chopsA few handfuls of button of chestnut mushrooms, sliced1/2 a red onion, finely sliced2 sprigs of rosemaryA few large sage leaves300ml double cream1-2tbsp wholegrain mustard (I like Moutarde de Meaux, very tasty and has no sugar or other nonsense)Olive oil for fryingSalt and pepper to seasonEnough broccoli for four people, stems too1tbsp sesame oil1tbsp sesame seeds, toasted if you likeMethodWhile heating a cast iron skillet for the meat, gently soften the onion in a sauté pan in the olive oil until translucent then add the herbs and mushrooms.Season well and cook until the mushrooms are colouring. Add the cream and stir in the mustard. Cook for a few minutes until the cream thickens. Loosen with a little water if it gets too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning and mustard.Cook the pork chops on a high heat for a few minutes on each side until golden and the fat is rendering and crisping. Hold it down on its fatty edge to achieve this. Leave it to rest and boil the broccoli for about four minutes. I slice the stems and throw them in a minute before the florets. Drain very well, water really gets stuck in all those buds and drizzle over the sesame seeds and oil.Serve the pork with the sauce and broccoli.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Yesterday was a low-calorie day for me as I endeavour to return to the svelte, Adonis-like figure I had when young. Perhaps aiming for the slim figure I had when at art college where I survived on roll-ups and the occasional halloumi kebab is misguided.One thing that doesn't help on those days is when you have to spend the afternoon with apple crumbles surrounding you like the Devil on your shoulder. Taunting you, mocking your metabolism and lack of exercise. I held fairly firm, I mean you have to check your recipe tastes good before you let other people eat it don't you? But I decided I would make another one today and have a bloody great big bowl of it.This is one of the classic British puddings. Really simple, and with only a few steps, almost fool-proof. That doesn't mean there won't be complaints though. It's one of those dishes that is so full of childhood nostalgia that you can come a cropper if you leave the apple chunks too large, put blackberries in it, dust it with maple sugar, add orange zest or who knows what else. If it's not like the one your mother or grandmother used to make, it's not good enough. (That is assuming they could cook. They may have been complete disasters in the kitchen).Risking the wrath of my wife, I added thyme and blackcurrants to this one, as well as yeast to boost the appleyness of the Bramleys. Her portion disappeared in a flash.Ingredients1.6kg peeled, cored and chopped Bramley applesA punnet of blackberries (rhubarb or gooseberries are also great)Juice and zest of a lemon4tbsp caster sugar7g yeast, dissolved in 80ml warm water100g butterA handful of thyme leavesFor the crumble topping130g  chilled butter130g golden, unrefined caster sugar260g plain flourMethodHeat the oven to 180cCoat the apple in the lemon juice, tossing well. Cook the chunks in the sugar, butter and yeast water until softened. Mash half of the apples, leaving the rest nice and chunky. Stir in the thyme and blackcurrants then transfer to a large baking dish.Grate the butter into the sugar and flour to make the topping. Rub it all together between your fingertips until it's sandy. A few lumps left here and there will give nice texture when it's cooked.Spread the crumble over the cooked apple and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden and crumbly. Leave to cool a little and serve with ice cream. Or cream if you like that kind of thing. Which I don't, so it's wrong.

Here's Some Carrot Cake

The carrots are past their best. No longer firm and snappable, they bend like a theatrical prop. No wonder really, they have been sat outside in the sun on the table for a day and a half. I'd forgotten about them among the tumbling bags of vegetables I'd brought back.Still, that doesn't mean there isn't a use for them. A few made it into my morning smoothie and the rest, determined to make something with them, I turned into cake. Surely bendy and tired fruit becoming cake is like turning base metal into gold. And not only that, I used coconut sugar in the mix rather than cane. So it's almost doubly less healthy. If you don't count the icing sugar mountain that went into the cream cheese icing.As a cake is a treat, let's not beet (sugar) ourselves up about things being unhealthy. It's not as if I had a slice of it for breakfast the other day... But this cake is delicious, moist and with the fragrant scent of orange blossom and clementine zest, is a wonderful moment of calm with a coffee or tea mid-afternoon when spirits are flagging.If you don't hoover the lot up in one sitting (assuming you're sharing) it keeps soft and moist for what seems an eternity as long as you keep it covered. I can't see that happening though.Ingredients225g coconut sugar (or caster sugar if not)225g butter225g self-raising flour with 1tsp baking powder mixed in3 eggs200g grated carrots1tbsp orange blossom waterFor the cream cheese icing175g cream cheese125g soft butter350g icing sugar1tbsp vanilla extractClementine zest and chopped hazelnuts to decorateMethodCream together the butter and sugar. Beat in one egg at a time until well mixed then stir in the flour and baking powder little by little until you've used it all. Try not to over mix it.Stir in the orange blossom water and carrots and mix well, but gently. Divide between two 19cm prepared cake tins and bake immediately at 180c for approximately 40 minutes.Leave the cake to cool completely or it'll be sliding all over the place like a plastic fire guard. Beat together the butter, cheese, icing sugar and vanilla until soft and smooth. sandwich the cakes together with a good load of the icing then coat the top and sprinkle over the zest and nuts. Chill for about half an hour if it's a hot day to give the icing a fighting chance then serve.