Table of contents for October 2021 in Delicious UK

Roast beef with aubergine, peppers, harissa and beans Serves 6 Hands-on time 15 min Oven time 1 hour 10 min You’ll also need Digital probe thermometer FOOD TEAM TIPS This recipe relies on using top-quality beef for perfect tenderness. If you don’t have a good local butcher, order a quality aged topside joint from eversfieldorganic.co.uk, abelandcole.co.uk, farmison. com or ocado.com. Take the joint out of the fridge roughly an hour before roasting to let it start to come to room temperature. • 1.2-1.5kg boned and rolled British beef topside joint (see tips) • 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to rub and drizzle • 1 tbsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp mustard seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds 2 tbsp Belazu Rose Harissa • 20g fresh oregano, leaves picked and chopped • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves…

Chocolate & tahini baklava Makes 20-25 pieces Hands-on time 30 min, plus cooling Oven time 65 min You’ll also need 20cm x 30cm roasting tin, 5cm deep; digital probe or sugar thermometer MAKE AHEAD Keep the baklava covered in a cool place for up to 3 days. • 450g shelled walnut pieces, toasted in a dry pan and chopped • 175g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped 100g Belazu Tahini • 600g granulated sugar • 250g butter • 2 x 270g packs filo pastry • 6 cloves • 1 small cinnamon stick • 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 Heat the oven to 140°C fan/ gas 3. For the filling, mix the walnuts, chocolate, tahini and 50g of the sugar, then divide into 3 equal amounts. 2 Very gently melt the butter in a small pan until all the…

Who’s behind the @? Chef and food stylist Julie Jones took solace in baking while caring for her mum and became recognised for her stunning decorative pastry work, which elevates pies and tarts to an art. Author of Soulful Baker (Jacqui Small £20) and The Pastry School (Kyle Books £25), Julie runs masterclasses and supports Alzheimer’s Society. What’s great about her feed? Julie’s intricate pastry and fruit designs, from textured feathers to geometric wonders, are awe-inspiring – but it’s also her warmth and honesty that have amassed a loyal following. She pours out her heart in her posts, reflecting on the benefits of baking, weathering life’s challenges and embracing its joys. Style and substance.…

*OCTOBER’S WINNER WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OUR DECEMBER ISSUE Train driver instructor Chanin Lloyd is 31 and lives in Hampshire with wife Hannah, dog Cody and newborn daughter Evelyn Why do you love food? My parents encouraged me to eat everything. Mum is from Thailand, so I had different flavours growing up and was cooking pheasant and game at university! My Instagram account @cdlloyd is mostly food (with some trains). Treasured food memory? Eating a fruits de mer in France with Mum. It was for four (between two). There’s a photo of me peering over it. Cheer-up dish? Moules marinières. It reminds me of happy holiday memories. Favourite family recipe? Anything Thai. There’s a vast number of recipes in my repertoire from Mum. Top cooking tip? Season with salt and…

Burnt pumpkin cheesecake Serves 12-14 Hands-on time 20 min, plus cooling and chilling (ideally overnight) Oven time 50-60 min You’ll also need Stand mixer or electric hand mixer; 22cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin lined with 2 strips of baking paper in a cross with 5cm overhang MAKE AHEAD The cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. KNOWHOW The key to a silky-smooth texture, without cracks, is to work with room temperature ingredients and mix on a low speed so everything blends without taking in too much air. The cheesecake should still have a wobble in the centre when it finishes cooking. It’ll firm up as it cools. The water content in the pumpkin purée will also affect the texture, so when preparing…

A sharing recipe that takes its inspiration from one of Southeast Asia’s most popular small bites Glazed pumpkin with crispy chickpeas and paneer Serves 6 Hands-on time 15 min Oven time 55 min You’ll also need Oven tray lined with compostable baking paper KNOW HOW Biryani spice mix is made up of warm spices, most often nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Find it in larger supermarkets and Indian food stores. Paneer is a fresh curd cheese made from cow’s or buffalo’s milk. Find it in larger supermarkets, at Ocado or in Indian food stores. EASY SWAPS If you can’t find paneer, use halloumi. It’s saltier, so soak it in cold water for an hour before frying and adjust your seasoning. To make this vegan, use a coconut yogurt and,…

“I have a great affection for the Mediterranean baked dishes of meat, pasta, tomato and kefalotiri — a dry, firm ewe’s milk cheese, full of irregular holes. It ranges in colour from white through to pale yellow, depending on the grazing of the sheep, and it’s fresh and slightly sharp-tasting, with a distinct flavour of ewe’s milk.” Beef and macaroni pie with kefalotiri cheese Serves 8-10 Hands-on time 1 hour 20 min Oven time 30-40 min You’ll also need 23cm x 33cm x 7cm deep baking dish • 500g tubular pasta, such as macaroni, rigatoni or penne • 2 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten • 50g Greek kefalotiri cheese or parmesan, finely grated • 2 tbsp melted butter • 10g fresh white breadcrumbs Meat sauce • 4 tbsp olive oil • 1 medium onion, finely chopped • 4…

I think people expect me to be more discerning or worldly. Taking pleasure in food doesn’t have to be a special occasion thing, expensive or rarefied. I love it when chocolate buttons stick together butt-to-butt, or you crack open a can of Coke. It’s nice to enjoy the things that are around us, rather than pining for a meal at Noma. Fresh out of Bake Off, I just wanted to write baking recipes. As time’s gone on, it’s become more complex. I feel most proud of my work when it’s made a difference to someone’s life – not so they can tick off they’ve made a croquembouche but helping them build confidence in the kitchen. I love traditional cookbooks, but they don’t work for everyone. I’m prone to getting drawn…

Alex Peffly and Z He They’re the husband-and-wife team behind London restaurant Wun’s Tea Room & Bar (tearoom.bar), a late-night venue in Soho that captures the spirit of 1960s Hong Kong. The couple also run Bun House in Chinatown, selling Cantonese-style steamed buns and pickles, and Pleasant Lady, a stall in Old Spitalfields Market serving jian bing (stuffed crepes) . Chef Arty Florea Before heading up the kitchen at Wun’s, Arty worked at renowned London Thai restaurants Smoking Goat and Kiln. He has this to say about Cantonese cuisine: “It’s meticulous, refined and elegant – like a cheongsam (a traditional Cantonese dress) – beautiful patterns decorated upon delicate fabrics.” PHOTOGRAPH: STUART WEST. FOOD STYLING: JESS MEYER. STYLING: LAUREN MILLER…

Did you know? There are three key types of omega-3 fats we need to get from our food – ALA, EPA and DHA. Veg oils, nuts and seeds are a rich source of ALA, but the best sources for EPA and DHA are sardines, salmon and mackerel. For vegans/vegetarians, microalgae supplements might be useful, although more research is needed, says the Vegan Society. Some experts suggest vegans should consume twice the recommended amount of ALA instead each day – around 1 tbsp ground linseed, plus six walnut halves. How to eat to beat Covid? A study involving more than 600,000 people has found a high quality, plant-rich diet (lots of fruit, veg, wholegrains and oily fish, and fewer ultra-processed foods and refined carbs) protects against COVID-19. The research by health…

Slow-cooker lamb with potatoes Serves 8 (or 2 meals for 4) Hands-on time 10 min Oven time 4-6 hours KNOWHOW Using red wine vinegar instead of wine helps to tenderise the meat and adds acidity to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the onions – and you get the wine. • 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, diced • 2 red onions, sliced • 2 celery sticks, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, peeled • 3 tbsp tomato purée • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp dried oregano • 3 bay leaves • 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 750g small potatoes such as charlotte, halved if large • Chopped flatleaf parsley, dill, lemon zest to serve 1 Put the lamb in a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, 100ml water and salt and black pepper, then cook on…

“I often have leftover mushrooms in my veg drawer – this flavour-packed dish is a great way to use them up, along with any open jars from the many spiced-up recipes in this issue.”Thea Everett, digital content producer PHOTOGRAPH: STUART WEST. FOOD STYLING: JESS MEYER. STYLING: LAUREN MILLER Serves 2-3 Hands-on time 40 min MAKE AHEAD For best results make the curry a few hours or more ahead to let the flavours meld. Cover, chill, then reheat gently in a pan, stirring occasionally. KNOWHOW The gradual addition of the curry sauce to the yogurt warms it gently and helps stop the curry splitting. You’ll find gram flour and fenugreek leaves in the world food aisle of large supermarkets and at veenas.com or redrickshaw.com. • 2 tsp gram flour (chickpea flour) • 165g thick…

Use a different nut butter Swap the peanut butter for almond or hazelnut butter. Or try sunflower or pumpkin seed butter if the biscuits need to be nut free (you’ll need to swap the Reese’s Pieces too – see below). Make them gluten free Swap the plain flour for a gluten-free plain flour alternative. We like Doves Farm gluten-free plain flour. Add more chocolate or caramel Swap the Reese’s Pieces with choc chips or caramel pieces (we like Whitworths Mix & Bake ChOc Salted Caramel, from Ocado, Waitrose and Amazon).…

10-MINUTE SOURDOUGH At her Northampton baking school, teacher Vanessa Kimbell researches the health benefits of sourdough and promotes baking with diverse ingredients. Her latest book promises that, with time, the best homemade bread can be yours with minimal effort. The book includes master recipes with timetables to fit into your schedule and plenty of good advice. Kyle Books £18.99 BAKING WITH FORTITUDE Typical sweet bakes not your style? Dee Rettali of London’s Fortitude Bakehouse uses sourdough starters and fermented batters to create buns and cakes with intensified flavours. Emphasising the craft of baking, her recipes rely on herbs, spices and fruit for character, and many can be made in straightforward fashion before you try the fermented version. Bloomsbury £22, out 14 Oct SUGAR, I LOVE YOU Pastry chef Ravneet Gill…

Oddbird Blanc de Blancs NV, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 0% If you’re doing Sober October or looking for a decent alcohol-free fizz, try this zero-alcohol, elegant, lightly creamy French sparkler with apples-and-pears appeal. £9.99, Amazon The Guv’nor Rosé NV, Spain 13% Made mainly from garnacha grapes, this is a riper rosé than some, just off-dry and full of raspberry and cherry flavours. It could take on peppery charcuterie. £8.99 or £6.99 as part of a mixed six, Majestic Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha 2019, Cariñena, Spain 14.5% A true bargain that majors on plump blackberries with hints of toffee and cassis at the end. Pour it with autumn’s roast red meats. £6, Asda…

One-pot orzo with feta & olives Serves 1 Hands-on time 15 min Cooking time 8 min 2 tsp Belazu Early Harvest Olive Oil, plus a splash • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced • A few saffron strands • 275ml boiling water • ½ tsp sweet paprika • 100g orzo pasta • 30g soft agen prunes, pitted and finely chopped • 30g pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped • Finely grated zest and juice ¼ orange • Handful pine nuts, lightly toasted for 3-4 minutes in a dry frying pan • Large handful flatleaf parsley leaves, finely chopped • 20g feta, crumbled 1 Heat the oil in a medium pan with a lid over a medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until translucent and lightly golden. Put the saffron in a heatproof jug and pour over the boiling…

Cooking is for everyone If we could get everyone in the world cooking we would. Food brings people together – families, friends, communities – and it’s a pleasure. Get children involved in decorating the Halloween spider cookies on p96 – brings a whole new meaning to browsing the web... You can trust us Every recipe is rigorously tested by our food team, at least twice, using domestic ovens, so you can be confident our recipes work every time. When it comes to reviews, we only recommend discoveries (see p111) we deem to be good quality and worth the price tag. Keeping it simple Eating locally and seasonally, whenever you can, really is a no-brainer. We aim to use easy-to-find seasonal ingredients. We’ll tell you where to find any unusual ones…

THIS MONTH’S STAR EMAIL WINS... …two boxes of premium red and white Portuguese wine worth over £50, by the experts from The Wine Show (Amazon Prime). These delicious wines stay fresher for longer thanks to their box format, which produces less CO2 than glass bottles. For more information, visit thewine show.com/ boxed-wine FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN... Let us know your thoughts on this month’s issue by emailing us at info@ delicious magazine.co.uk* Star email From: Donna Carroll When I read Ellen Manning’s piece about boring food [Sep, p16], it struck a chord. Like many people, I work full time and have lots of commitments. I was a frontline worker during the pandemic, so never had any spare time. I often make cheese on toast or something I’ve cooked the…

“When we’re told what a MasterChef contestant is cooking, I throw things at the telly” One of the first things I learned about Italian cooking is that it’s all about good shopping. If you buy the best ingredients and stick to the seasons, there’s very little you need to do in the kitchen. In fact, there’s an inverse relationship between quality of produce and the need for culinary skill. That doesn’t mean you can get away with sloppy technique and poor home economics. Even as a home cook, you need a sharp knife, a tidy work surface, a cupboard full of basics, a clear idea of what you’re doing and a thorough knowledge of the prep and method. To make excellent Italian regional classics, however, you don’t need to be…

Main prep You’ll need a strong, sharp knife to halve and quarter the pumpkin (careful: it can be tough). Remove any stringy fibres and seeds, then cut into pieces. If you’re roasting or braising it for a long time you don’t have to remove the skin unless its very woody. The flesh can be used in all sorts of dishes (see deliciousmagazine.co.uk for more recipes). As for the seeds, wash and dry them on kitchen paper, then roast on a baking tray at 160ºC fan/gas 4 for 15-20 minutes until golden. Use as a topping for salads and bakes, or team with nuts in an autumnal pesto. They’ll keep for a few weeks in an airtight container. HOKKAIDO Aka onion squash, this small pumpkin has a thin skin (no need…

WHY YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE As autumn unfolds and winter beckons, there’s something comforting about a board laden with soft, gently pungent cheeses. Baronet, a mellow, washed-rind cheese redolent of hay and earthy aromas, perfectly suits the wistful mood of the changing season. THE BACK STORY Originally from Hungary, Julianna Sedli worked for leading lights in the artisan cheese world in the US and UK – including goat’s cheese guru the late Mary Holbrook. Julianna set up the Old Cheese Room in a converted cattle byre at the Neston Park Estate in Wiltshire in 2011, where she and her husband Karim make baronet with organic milk from the farm’s herd of Jersey cows. WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL? Baronet is loosely based on reblochon but is very much its…

Makes about 1 litre You’ll need 1kg fish bones and heads (lemon sole, brill and plaice are all good but any fish is fine, except oily ones like mackerel, sardines, herrings, salmon and tuna). Cut the fish bones into 5-6cm pieces and put them in a large pan. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 sliced leek, 1 sliced fennel bulb, 100g sliced celery, 1 thyme sprig and 30ml veg oil. Put a lid on the pan, put over a medium heat and cook gently for 5 minutes, not allowing it to colour. Add 100ml white wine and 2.25 litres water, bring just to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve (discard the bones).…

PORTRAITS: JAMIE LAU/WAITROSE & PARTNERS FOOD, CHRIS TERRY When I recently wrote about the illness I had earlier this year, Claudia Roden emailed me on the morning the piece appeared. “Dearest Diana,” she said, “I love you very much. I can’t bear what you have been going through. Will you come and eat with me?” It was so forthright, an invitation to ‘eat with’ her being far more profound and touching than one to ‘come for dinner’. I cried. “I was from rural Northern Ireland. She opened up a window onto a new world”DIANA I’ve looked up to Claudia Roden for decades. When I moved to London in the mid-1980s and found her classic, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, in a local bookshop (I had no idea who she…

ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES What comes to mind when you think of ‘processed food’? For many of us, the term evokes images of ready meals and snacks loaded with salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. But according to some nutrition scientists, not all processed food deserves a bad name. In fact, they argue certain processed foods are better for you than unprocessed. Confused? You’re not alone. The terminology is one of the problems. ‘Processed food’ can mean a lot of things: pasteurising (to make milk safe), freezing, pickling and canning are all forms of processing. Some might even say that when we cook fresh food we are processing it to make the food edible. “Cooked-from-scratch recipes vary widely. Just because a dish is made in your kitchen doesn’t automatically make it healthy” FRESH…

Easy mezze Chop any leftover meat, reheat and serve with houmous and flatbreads as a mezze. Drizzle the stew with pomegranate or date molasses and scatter with more fresh parsley. Lamb tagine When you cook the lamb, swap the spices for a shop-bought tagine paste and swap the potatoes for root vegetables and dried apricots. Serve with couscous. Puffed lamb pie Thicken the sauce by simmering with 1-2 tsp cornflour mixed with water, then pour into a pie dish, top with ready-rolled puff pastry and bake at 180ºC fan/gas 6 for 25-30 minutes.…

ADDITIONAL RECIPES: THEA EVERETT Doubanjiang (from Wun’s chicken p62) • VEGETARIAN MAPO TOFU Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with a little water, then mix in ½ tsp veg stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp sake/rice wine and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, then fry 1 tbsp grated ginger and 1 tbsp crushed garlic for 30 seconds. Add a handful of sliced spring onions and fry for 30 seconds more. Add 1 tbsp doubanjiang and stir-fry until fragrant. Add cubed firm tofu and the sauce, then cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice. Amaretto (from gingerbread hot chocolate p51) • DARK AMARETTO TRUFFLES Finely chop 200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) and put in a bowl. Heat 100ml double cream…

6 golden rules BUYING & STORING SPICES This month we’re celebrating spice in myriad ways. I asked Rachel Walker, founder of specialist supplier Rooted Spices, for her expert advice 1 STORE AWAY FROM HEAT AND LIGHT It’s tempting to keep spices within easy reach of the cooker, but heat, humidity and sunlight all cause oxidation, making your spices discolour and lose potency. It’s best to store spices in a tin or opaque container. 2 GET CREATIVE Using spices doesn’t need to feel like alchemy. Many can be sprinkled on a dish for a last-minute flavour boost... Once food is on the plate, think beyond adding only salt and pepper – look to spices and blends such as sumac, za’atar, shichimi togarashi or black urfa chilli for finishing flavours. 3 SPICE…

A BIT ABOUT MATTHEW After many years working as a chef and baker, Matthew opened Bread Ahead in 2013 in London’s busy Borough Market – and it soon became famous for its patisserie and sourdough. Now there’s a much-acclaimed Bread Ahead Bakery School too, and five bakery-cafés across London. breadahead.com “We started with five flavours of doughnut and we’ve added more over time, but the base doughnut will always remain the same. We developed the pumpkin flavour for Halloween. Taste-wise, they’re a bit like a crème brûlée in a doughnut — sensational. They’re a lot of work though, so we only do them on one day of the year!” MATTHEW JONES, BREAD AHEAD Pumpkin doughnuts Makes 10 Hands-on time 1 hour 35 min, plus proving, overnight resting and cooling Oven…

“They dined on mince, and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon…”THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT BY EDWARD LEAR If you’ve never cooked with this seductive fruit, now is the time. Quinces look as if they’ve tumbled out of a Renaissance painting, with a delicate fuzz on their surface and an intense apple-citrus aroma, yet they remain lesser known for three reasons: you can’t eat them raw (rock hard), they’re only available in autumn and you don’t generally find them on supermarket shelves. BUT seek them out in farmers’ markets or online and the love affair will begin. Quinces have a high pectin level, which makes them ideally suited to preserves: jelly and paste for the cheeseboard or fillings for pies and tarts that set beautifully. Wet…

RECIPE: AMANDA JAMES. PHOTOGRAPH: DAN JONES.FOOD STYLING: KATIE MCCLELLAND. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS Pesto egg-in-the-hole with avocado and crispy bacon Serves 1 Hands-on time 15 min Useful to have 8-10cm cookie cutter • 2 slices outdoor-reared British streaky bacon • 1 large slice sourdough bread, hole cut in the middle (about 8-10cm, depending on your bread size) • 2 tbsp basil pesto, plus extra to serve • 1 medium free-range egg • ½ small ripe avocado, sliced • A few coriander leaves to serve • Squeeze lime juice • Lime wedges and chilli jam to serve (optional) 1 Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside. Keep the pan (with the bacon fat) to hand. 2 Increase the heat slightly, then fry the bread for 2…

The delicious. team are always looking for ways to add flavour and impact to our recipes, so we’re delighted to create this collection showcasing the versatility of the Belazu range for everyday cooking, from easy mains to a simple roast and some tempting sweet treats. Look out for the star ingredient boxes on the pages to tell you a bit more about their flavours and uses, and we’ve also included a handy section at the end, full of extra tips and ideas so you can make the most of every spoonful or drop. Happy cooking! RECIPES: delicious. food team PHOTOGRAPHS: Tara Fisher, Alex Luck, Andrew Montgomery, Gareth Morgans, Nassima Rothacker, Toby Scott, Maja Smend, Kate Whitaker, Mike English…

Fennel, chilli and sausage ragù Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min Simmering time 20 min • 400g pack British free-range pork sausages • 1 tbsp oil • 1 large fennel bulb, chopped • 2 crushed garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 tsp fennel seeds • tsp Belazu Urfa Chilli Paste • 400g tin chopped tomatoes, • 300g tagliatelle • Chopped basil leaves to serve 1 Remove and discard the skins from the sausages and roughly chop the sausagemeat. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat and fry the meat until golden, then set aside. 2 Add the fennel (reserve any fronds) to the pan and fry for 10 minutes until softened and golden. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and 2 tbsp cold water. Reduce the heat slightly, cover with a lid and…

THE GOURD LIFE Turn choosing a prize pumpkin into an autumnal day out: pick-your-own pumpkin patches are growing in popularity, with some offering seasonal snacks and activities too. Visit deliciousmagazine.co.uk/ pumpkinpatches for a list Shaken or stirred? No Time To Die , the 25th James Bond film, finally lands in cinemas on 30 September after several delays. Hail the drink immortalised by Bond with The Martini: Perfection in a Glass by Matt Hranek (Artisan £12.99). Matt traces the cocktail’s cultural history, settles the shaken-or-stirred debate and gives numerous recipes. We spy a gift idea. ARE YOU CAPABLE OF CULINARY MAGIC? The Inspiring Culinary Generations competition is searching for the UK’s best cooks of all ages, with prizes to be won. There are two strands to the awards. Those aged 19 and…

And the winner is… VICKY RILEY’S MILE-HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE  Vicky’s pie wins Cream Cornwall bone china and tableware worth £500. Acting deputy food ed Jess says “What a pie! Excellent work on the Italian meringue. The filling looks luscious too.” The runners-up KAREN FLOCKHART’S PEACH CRUMBLE TRAYBAKE  Jess says “This seems to have been the bake of the month for August and we loved Karen’s beautiful circular version.” ROSALIND OLDS’ VEGGIE TART  Jess says “This was another popular bake and Rosalind’s take was spot-on. The pastry looks perfect and flaky, and the fresh topping is inviting.” Follow us on social @deliciousmag…

FOR THE PUMPKIN PURÉE Heat oven to 150ºC fan/gas 3½. Cut a pumpkin into quarters or several butternut squash in half (you’ll end up with about 600g purée for every 1kg pumpkin/squash). Scrape out the seeds, then lay cut-side up on a large lipped baking tray lined with compostable baking paper. Roast for 2 hours until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh very soft. Set aside to cool, then scrape the flesh off the skin (discard the skin) and whizz in a food processor or blender until smooth. If using in baking or for a filling where you don’t want it too wet, tip the purée into a pan and cook over a low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes until thickened and slightly reduced (this dries it). Cool, then store…

Style Soft, washed-rind cow’s milk cheese made in three sizes: 1kg; 300g mini; 225g baby Age 4-16 weeks Veggie? No Best drinks match Furmint white wine – the zingy Hungarian grape contrasts nicely with the buttery cheese Perfect partner Sprinkle a few cumin seeds on the rind for added crunch and spice Can you eat the rind? Yes – it’s full of savoury depths Talk like a cheese guru Washed-rind cheeses are rubbed with brine and/or alcohol as they mature to encourage fragrant bacteria and yeasts to grow Buy it Baby baronet, £8.40 for 225g, The Fine Cheese Co (finecheese.co.uk)…

Your menu for 6 Spinach and ricotta rolls with autumn fruit ketchup Slow-braised lamb shoulder with preserved lemon and spices Roasted rainbow carrot, pomegranate & herb salad Griddled za’atar flatbreads Brownie tart with coffee cream & toffee shards Gingerbread hot chocolate Spinach and ricotta rolls with autumn fruit ketchup Serves 6 Hands-on time 35 min, plus cooling Oven time 20 min You’ll also need Stainless steel (non-reactive) saucepan; large oven tray lined with compostable baking paper MAKE AHEAD Make the rolls a day ahead, then cool, wrap and chill. Reheat in a low oven for 10-15 minutes. KNOWHOW The ketchup makes about 250ml and will keep for 3 days in a clean jar in the fridge. To keep it for a few months, pour the hot ketchup into a sterilised…

“Our fried chicken is one of the most loved dishes on the menu” Wun’s chicken kung pao Serves 3-4 as part of a meal Hands-on time 45 min, plus marinating You’ll also need Food processor, blender or large pestle and mortar; tongs Useful to have Probe thermometer “The dish has the comforting familiarity of buffalo wings with a Chinese twist.” MAKE AHEAD Marinate the chicken (step 2) up to 12 hours ahead. Cover and chill, taking the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before frying. The kung pao sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead, then covered and chilled. Gently warm before coating the chicken. KNOWHOW You’ll find doubanjiang (a hot, fermented bean paste) and black rice vinegar in Chinese supermarkets and at souschef.co.uk. You could use another chilli…

Combine gently poached chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, dark leafy greens and healthful turmeric and you get the ultimate satisfying, soothing, good-for-you soup for a cold day You don’t need a fatty cut of lamb to make this classic dish tasty; good quality meat topped up with mushrooms give it big flavour after long, slow cooking Lighter Lancashire hotpot Serves 4 Hands-on time 30 min Oven time 2½-3 hours You’ll also need 24-30cm casserole or deep ovenproof frying pan with a lid MAKE AHEAD Assemble up to 2 days ahead, then cover and chill. It can be baked straight from chilled. • 2 tbsp vegetable oil • 700g lamb neck, cut into bitesize chunks, fat trimmed and discarded • 2 onions, halved and sliced • 250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped • 2 celery sticks,…

1 Spiced fishcakes with ‘rice and peas’ (bean) salad Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min Simmering time 12-15 min EASY SWAPS Use gluten-free flour or cornflour for dusting if you’re cooking for a gluten-free diet. • 400g floury potatoes (such as maris piper), cut into small chunks • 3 tbsp olive oil • 450g sustainable white fish (such as coley or hake), skin-on if possible • 3 tsp jerk seasoning • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced • 1 tbsp plain flour, plus 30g • ¼-1 tsp chilli powder (to taste) • 250g cooked rice of your choice • 400g tin kidney beans, rinsed • Grated zest and juice 2 limes • Small bunch coriander, leaves and stalks roughly chopped, or 40g watercress 1 Bring a medium pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook for 12-15 minutes until…

Roast chicken in cacio e pepe bagna cauda sauce Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min, plus resting Oven time 35-40 min You’ll also need Roasting tin, large ovenproof frying pan or hob-safe casserole KNOWHOW If you’re not usually a fan of anchovies, this is a great way to try them. They melt into the sauce, mellowing into an umami base that’s not at all fishy. • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 medium free-range chicken (about 1.6kg), jointed into 4 pieces (ask your butcher to do this for you if you prefer) or 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on • 60g unsalted butter • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to serve • 5 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped • 200ml white…

Makes 18 cookies Hands-on time 25 min, plus cooling Oven time 13-15 min You’ll also need electric hand mixer or stand mixer; 2 large baking sheets lined with compostable baking paper MAKE AHEAD You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Prepare to the end of step 3 (don’t put the oven on), then open-freeze before packing into bags. Cook from frozen, adding 4-5 minutes to the cooking time. KNOWHOW Find edible cake decorating eyes from most larger supermarkets or online from Ocado and Amazon. • 200g light brown sugar • 50g golden caster sugar • 150g unsalted butter, softened • 2 medium free-range eggs • 250g smooth peanut butter • 200g plain flour, sifted • 100g Reese’s Pieces, roughly chopped For the decoration • 37g bag Maltesers • 200g packet Kinder Choco-Bons (Schoko-Bons) • 110g packet…

“Browning produces flavour compounds, which vary with the temperature, cooking time and chemical make-up of the food. These give browned meat its tantalising aroma and taste” Food writer (and self-confessed food obsessive) Lucas Hollweg The science-y bit 1 The basics Browning involves initially cooking meat at a temperature that’s high enough to brown/colour the surface. When you sear a steak, for instance, the aim is to give it a dark brown crust. Steaks and other small pieces of meat are usually seared in a pan, but with larger joints browning can be done in the oven – as when you roast a joint at 220ºC fan/gas 9 for 20 minutes to give it colour, for example, before reducing the temperature for the rest of the cooking time. 2 Why do…

If you’re making these out of pumpkin season – or if you just don’t fancy the pumpkin flavour, you could fill them with the crème pâtissière (still adding the whipped cream) for a plain vanilla custard doughnut. Or, for a classic jam doughnut, use 250g good quality raspberry (or any flavour) jam, loosened with a tiny splash of hot water if the conserve is very set. Lemon curd makes a good filling too, with its tangy sharpness. And for chocolate doughnuts, fill them with your favourite nutty choc spread – you could beat in a tiny splash of cream to make it easier to pipe.…

EXPERT GUIDE A pairing for spicy food There are quite a few warming, spicy recipes in this issue, but which drinks go best with them? Chilli isn’t nearly as difficult to pair with wine as you might think, as long as it isn’t searingly hot. The knack is to avoid wimpy, delicate styles and choose whites and rosés with assertive, bright flavours. Go for zesty and vibrant sauv blancs, tropical-fruited chardonnays or rieslings and fruit-driven, off-dry rosés. Make reds rounded and juicy – like pinot noir, merlot or Chile’s carmenere – and give tannic, tough, oaky reds a miss. Dry sparklers tend to taste too acidic... Avoid! Beyond wine, there are plenty of beers that work with spices, including my favourite with a medium-spiced curry: a creamy wheat beer. And…