Recipes

Spiced almond biscuits

Spiced almond biscuits

One of the most captivating Christmas cookbooks is Anja Dunk’s Advent a book of ‘festival German bakes to celebrate the coming of Christmas’. It’s full of the most amazing recipes and beautifully illustrated with lovely photographs and linocuts.

Côte de Boeuf with Dauphinoise Potatoes

Côte de Boeuf with Dauphinoise Potatoes

Here’s a fantastic treat for a romantic night in from the Pipers Farm Sustainable Meat Cookbook by Abby Allen and Rachel Lovell.

 Manhattan creams with citrus caramel

Manhattan creams with citrus caramel

Of all the magical chapters that make up Diana Henry’s wonderful book How to Eat a Peach - a combined food memoir, travelogue and cookery book, ‘Missing New York’ is the most evocative, making you immediately want to jump on a plane and spend a few days following in her footsteps.

Sausage, Cep and Chestnut Galette

Sausage, Cep and Chestnut Galette

This recipe was created by my friend cookery writer Claire Thomson of 5 o’clock apron to celebrate the release of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau about which we’ve just made a reel which you can find on my instagram feed @food_writer.

Duck casserole with red wine, cinnamon and olives

Duck casserole with red wine, cinnamon and olives

One of my favourite recipes from my recently reissued book The Wine Lover’s Kitchen which is full of recipes for cooking with wine.

Beef, Stilton and Onion Pie

Beef, Stilton and Onion Pie

This is just one of the amazing pies in Calum Franklin’s The Pie Room which will happily give you projects to work through all winter. He says it’s for ‘wintry days when the roads are blocked and you are snowed in’ but I’d be perfectly happy to have it on a grey November day. However one can’t argue with Calum’s conclusion that it’s ‘rich, decadent and best followed by a nap on the couch’.

Chicken with pineapple and nduja

Chicken with pineapple and nduja

One of the most exciting cookbooks of recent years is Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage who worked with Yotam Ottolenghi for several years and shares his love of bold flavours. This is actually quite an easy recipe though nobody you cook it for will think that!

Puttanesca-style salmon bake

Puttanesca-style salmon bake

A super-tasty, easy recipe from Ottolenghi’s fabulous new book Ottolenghi Comfort (which you can also find on his YouTube channel if you want to see it being made.

Romy Gill’s Paneer Burji (Scrambled Paneer Curry)

Romy Gill’s Paneer Burji (Scrambled Paneer Curry)

A wonderfully comforting recipe from celebrity chef Romy Gill’s India, her most accessible book yet, which is full of the simple, homely recipes she makes for her family and friends. 

Cavatelli with sausage, mint and tomato

Cavatelli with sausage, mint and tomato

This is one of the deceptively simple recipes in Rachel Roddy’s wonderful A-Z of Pasta.

Tomato and tapenade tart

Tomato and tapenade tart

The most perfect Provençal-style summer tart from Alex Jackson's evocative book Sardine, named after his former London restaurant

Uyen Luu's Vietnamese Chicken salad

Uyen Luu's Vietnamese Chicken salad

I don't know how often you turn to Asian-inspired salads at this time of year but I find myself making them more and more. Here's a classic Vietnamese salad from Uyen Luu's Vietnamese to inspire you.

Charred Tomatoes with Cool Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses and Herbs

Charred Tomatoes with Cool Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses and Herbs

An irresistibly more-ish recipe from Helen Graves brilliant book Live Fire which you can also cook on a cast iron griddle

Bhutte ka kees with prawns

Bhutte ka kees with prawns

This recipe comes from winemaker Corlea Fourie. It’s like a spicy, corn porridge which she and her husband Bertus serve with grilled prawns as part of a braai (barbecue)

Mac & Cheesy Greens Filo Pie 

Mac & Cheesy Greens Filo Pie 

I absolutely love a pie so was immediately grabbed by the idea of this Mac & Cheesy Greens Filo Pie from Anna Shepherd's gorgeous new book Love Vegetables.

Asparagus, hot-smoked trout and pea shoot tart

Asparagus, hot-smoked trout and pea shoot tart

I love a book that shows you how to make the best of the produce that's in season and Angela Clutton's big, beautiful new book Seasoning really does that to perfection.

Kimchi and Gochujang skillet eggs

Kimchi and Gochujang skillet eggs

If you're a kimchi addict you'll love this spicy way of serving eggs from Ed Smith's fabulous book Good Eggs. And if you're not it should convert you! 

Sesame and chilli oil noodles

Sesame and chilli oil noodles

Anna Jones has written so many great cookbooks you'd think she wouldn't have anything more to say but her new book, Easy Wins, which features 12 hero ingredients including the tahini in this recipe, may be her most inspiring yet. It's exactly the kind of easy, delicious food I want for a midweek meal.

Queen Elizabeth Cake

Queen Elizabeth Cake

I remember making a cake like this way back when I started baking when it was known as Queen Mother's Cake which would obviously be consistent with it being called Queen Elizabeth cake. Anyway this version, which contains coconut comes from Rosie Sykes excellent new book Every Last Bite and sounds equally irresisitible.

Roasted Italian sausages with borlotti beans and ’nduja sauce

Roasted Italian sausages with borlotti beans and ’nduja sauce

What nicer place is there to shop than an Italian deli and in Theo Randall's inspiring book The Italian Deli Cookbook you can find out what to do with all those tempting ingredients you find there.

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