Table of contents for February 2022 in Delicious UK

February has its moments, doesn’t it? There are the mizzlingly dank days and then there are the bright and frosty ones, sharp with sunlight and cheered by crocuses peeping through the soil. Whether you see this as the endurance month or one where you’re looking ahead with thoughts of spring hope and earlier dawns, we have the cooking inspiration for you. First of all, on p72, Debora Robertson brings a healing dose of wisdom (and cake) if you’re erring on the side of fed-upness. Then we have the zing of citrus to seduce you into a longer kitchen project. The smell of a vat of marmalade bubbling away on the hob is one of life’s great pleasures, as are Cherie Denham’s recipes for what to make with the marmalade once…

RECIPE: DOTTIE KAY. PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: KATY MCCLELLAND. STYLING: LAUREN MILLER Boozy mint hot chocolate Serves 1 Hands-on time 5 min • 150ml semi-skimmed milk • 2 After Eight chocolate squares, 1 chopped • 10g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), finely chopped • 50ml mint chocolate vodka liqueur – we used Keepr’s Mint Chocolate Vodka Liqueur, available from Ocado and noblegreenwines.co.uk • 50ml double cream • Mint sprig to garnish 1 Warm the milk over a medium heat until steaming. Whisk in the chopped After Eight and dark chocolate to incorporate. Add the vodka liqueur and whisk to combine, then pour into a warmed mug or heatproof glass. 2 In a small bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks and spoon on top of the hot chocolate, then garnish with the other After Eight…

GIFTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY ...or any time. Look how pretty! Yes, these brownies are seriously pricey at £30 for a box of six but, boy, are they special: beautifully boxed and hand decorated, with edible organic pressed flowers on top of double-choc brownies (or blondies). They taste gorgeous too – and they fit through the letterbox. Order before 28 February for a 20% discount when you use code DeliciousFeb22 at the checkout – visit blushingcook.com CARRY IT WELL Kalinko is a lifestyle brand specialising in Burmese products handmade by artisans, with a view to keeping traditional crafts alive and enhancing the livelihoods of the makers. This 40cm rattan tray is just one example of the company’s beautiful range, and it comes in bright colours as well as traditional brown. £60,…

“For me, it’s important every once in a while to step aside from the pressures of life’s busy-ness, and putting aside time to make preserves helps me do that. It makes me happy, and making marmalade brings an especially golden glow as seville oranges lighten our darkest days with Spanish sunshine. The seville orange season is short – they’re only in the shops from late December until the end of this month – but doesn’t that make them even more special? Other citrus are at their best now too, so as well as seville orange marmalade, which I’ve pimped with lemongrass and lime leaves, I’m making my zingy lime marmalade, which I hope will become a staple in your storecupboard too. My young boys don’t eat marmalade but I just…

Galvin at Windows beef bourguignon with crushed celeriac Serves 4 Hands-on time 45 min, plus at least 6 hours marinating and cooling Simmering time 30 min Oven time 1¾ hours MAKE AHEAD It’s best to start this recipe the day before you want to eat. You can make the casserole to the end of step 6, cool, then cover and chill for 2-3 days. Or freeze in an airtight container for 3-6 months,then defrost when required. Complete the recipe starting from step 7. • 500g British grass-fed beef feather blade, cut into 4 equal portions • 3-4 tbsp rapeseed oil for frying • Plain flour to dust (gluten free if need be) • 115g butter, plus 25g for the sauce (optional) • 4 smoked pancetta rashers, cut into 1cm x 4cm pieces, or smoked bacon…

PORTRAIT: MARIA BELL. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: TOBY SCOTT. FOOD STYLING: ESTHER CLARKE. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS Roast chicken with golden garlic, sherry and almonds Serves 4-5 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 60-70 min DON’T WASTE IT The almond crumb will keep in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Sprinkle over pasta or add to a gratin topping for extra crunch. • 1 medium free-range chicken (about 1.6kg) • 4 tbsp olive oil • 4 garlic bulbs, cloves separated, skins left on • 2 bay leaves • 50g blanched whole almonds, roughly chopped • 2 slices crusty white bread, crusts removed, torn into 2.5cm pieces • Small bunch flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped • 200ml dry sherry (fino or amontillado, or use white wine) • 200ml homemade/good quality chicken stock or water 1 Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/ gas 6. Rub…

Rhubarb & custard slice Makes 16 slices Hands-on time 20 min, plus cooling and chilling Oven time 50 min Specialist kit 20cm x 30cm baking dish MAKE AHEAD The tart will look its best on the day it’s baked. You can make it a day ahead if you need to, though – cover and keep in the fridge, then bring to room temperature for an hour or so before serving. KNOWHOW The custard should have a gentle wobble when it comes out of the oven. It will firm as it cools. Lightly beat, then freeze the leftover egg whites to use in other recipes. • 150g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature • 165g caster sugar • 200g plain flour • 4-6 rhubarb stalks, cut into 9cm pieces, plus 1 extra stalk, roughly chopped…

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY Cocktail of the month Enjoy the tang of winter citrus in this South American classic from London’s top Peruvian restaurant, Lima (limalondon.com) Pisco sour Makes 1  Put 50ml pisco (Peruvian brandy – we like Vinas de Oro, from Amazon), 35ml lime juice, 25ml simple syrup (buy it or heat equal weights of caster sugar and water, stirring until dissolved, then cool) and 25ml free-range egg white (about 1 egg’s worth) in an ice-filled shaker. Shake for 15 seconds, then strain into a coupe or martini glass. To finish, add a few drops of Angostura bitters.…

Spicy pork and peanut noodles Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min EASY SWAPS Make this gluten free by using rice noodles, tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free gochujang. Gochujang is a hot/sweet fermented condiment from Korea – if you can’t find it in supermarkets or South Asian grocers use a fermented black bean paste or umami paste. • 2 tbsp sesame oil • 300g lean pork mince • 150g mangetout • 4 baby pak choi, halved • Thumb-size piece fresh ginger, finely grated • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 1 tbsp gochujang (see Easy Swaps) • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce • 1 tbsp mirin • 450g straight-to-wok udon noodles • 40g unsalted peanuts, chopped • 2 spring onions, finely sliced • Lime wedges to serve 1 Heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil in a wok or non-stick frying pan over…

Tuna puff pie Make a white sauce, then add 2 cans of tuna, defrosted peas and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Season with mustard, salt and pepper. Put in a greased pie dish lined with puff pastry, top with puff pastry, then brush with beaten egg. Bake at 180ºC for 25-30 minutes until golden. Tuna fish cakes Mix 2 tins of tuna with beaten egg, mustard, parsley, matzo meal and some salt and pepper. Shape into patties, then coat in more egg, then matzo meal. Shallow fry on both sides. Serve with a green salad and pickles. Sardine and tomato pasta As with the tuna pasta (left), fry onion, parsley stalks and anchovies with some fennel seeds. Add a tin of tomatoes, 1-2 small cans of sardines and a handful of sultanas.…

Welsh cakes Makes 10 Hands-on time 30 min Specialist kit 7.5cm cutter (or use a 7.5cm diameter glass) MAKE AHEAD The Welsh cakes are best served warm, fresh from the pan, but you can keep them in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days. Warm them for 5 minutes in a hot oven to serve. • 115g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for brushing • 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting • 75g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting • Handful sultanas (about 50g) • 1 medium free-range egg • Splash whole milk (optional) 1 Put the butter, flour and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl then, using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour to make a breadcrumb-like mixture. Stir in the sugar and sultanas with a…

Nutritionist Aliya Porter’s tips  ADD a few berries (frozen are just as good as fresh) to cereal, porridge or natural yogurt. BATCH COOK a veggie/meat chilli. There are flavanols in the onions and beans, and small amounts in tomatoes and red peppers. Add lime or lemon juice for flavanones and a teaspoon of cocoa powder for flavanols. TOSS broccoli and/or kale into your stir-fry veg, as both contain flavanols. And swap meat for tofu, which contains isoflavones. DRINK tea, especially green tea, which has the most flavonoids. The longer you brew it, the more are released, but of course the taste becomes more bitter the longer it steeps.…

//The lowdown BUTTERMILK True buttermilk is the liquid (whey) left over when cream is churned to make butter. In the olden days, the whey would sour thanks to bacteria naturally present in unpasteurised milk. This slight acidification would prevent the formation of more harmful bacteria, extending the buttermilk’s shelf-life. These days most commercially produced buttermilk is made by inoculating milk with a lactose-eating bacteria ( Lactococcus lactis ) so it thickens and develops a mild tang. While you can substitute whole milk mixed with either lemon juice or white vinegar in some recipes, we find using another soured dairy to be a better option in most cases – see below. EASY SWAPS FOR 250ML BUTTERMILK LIKE ’Nduja? TRY… Sobrasada What is it? A spreadable cured sausage from the Balearic islands…

Your buying choices make a difference STORECUPBOARD HEROES Liven up grey-weather cooking with funky, colourful condiments from sustainable curry delivery service DabbaDrop. There’s a fiery ginger jam and a goes-with-everything gunpowder spice mix, but our favourites were the chunky pineapple and mango chutney, and the pink pickled onions. £24/4 x 210g jars (gunpowder seasoning 100g), dabbadrop.co.uk Cheese, cheese and more cheese Do you need more artisan cheese in your life? Consider signing up for a subscription to Cheese Canteen. Organised by Provisions, a north London deli run by an exacting Frenchman, it sends you a kilo of five (mainly raw-milk) cheeses each month, from small, interesting dairies around Europe. Our highlights included a sweetly revelatory gouda and a meltily wondrous gorgonzola dulce. The only downside was that the blotchily designed…

• Spread liberally on toast or bread for the ultimate mid-morning or late-night #notforsharing snack. • Stir into pasta, finishing with chopped fresh fennel fronds, for a speedy midweek dinner. • Put a generous pat on a resting steak for a glorious update on surf ’n’ turf. • Try Ridiculous No. 55 in these recipes too – search for them at deliciousmagazine.co.uk Roast purple sprouting broccoli Melt the butter over the top for an instant upgrade Creamy mashed potato Stir in a generous knob of the lobster butter – this would make a luxury fish pie topping Boneless ribeye steak with béarnaise sauce Use No. 55 instead of the sauce…

You can freeze all or most of the recipe. Unless stated otherwise, freeze the finished dish for up to 3 months. Defrost and heat until piping hot throughout. Vegetarian Vegan Gluten free Dairy free Recipes with the above symbols are suitable for special diets provided you choose appropriate free-from ingredients – check the label. Other recipes can easily be adapted for special diets – see our Know-how and Easy Swaps tips. Standard kit Our recipes assume cooks will have a food processor/blender/stick blender, an electric stand mixer/ hand mixer and a selection of pans, tins and casseroles, as well as compostable baking paper and kitchen paper. We give alternative methods for combining ingredients if possible, and specify the size of dish/tin needed if it’s relevant. We also think a digital…

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES It’s possible to write a rant about bad cheeses without ever leaving one section of the supermarket cheese aisle: the section with cheeses so basic they have no flavour; they’re simply hard milk that’s been salted. Cheeses with a spray-tan rind that haven’t been matured (when they really ought to have been). Cheeses that are entirely forgettable or, worse, unrecognisable. Cheeses you can bounce against the wall. Cheeses that should, in my view, be either banished or repurposed in the form of eco-bricks. These products are an easy, obvious target, though. Beyond them, what’s bad is more open to debate. “Many cheese snobs write off ‘cheese with stuff in it’, but is this blanket rejection too much?” Many cheese snobs write off ‘cheese with stuff in it’,…

Great stuff to do GO ON A BEACH WALK There’s nothing quite like it for blowing away the winter cobwebs – especially as beaches are virtually empty at this time of year. Top choices: Gwithian, Cornwall Vast, with rocky outcrops to explore, grassy dunes behind and one of the most dramatic cliff walks just around the headland. Three Cliffs Bay on Wales’s Gower Peninsula A picture-perfect mix of dunes, cliffs, golden sand and far-reaching views Bamburgh, Northumberland It has stunning, wild beauty, moody skies, and there’s a castle right on the cliff… It feels as if nothing has changed for centuries. Camber Sands, East Sussex Dunes and blonde sand as far as the eye can see. Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk Fringed by pine trees and colourful beach huts (but take care not…

Over to you... STAR EMAIL Subject: Hurrah for British cheese! From: Michele Platman Jan 2022’s cover image had my mouth watering – I couldn’t agree more that “life is better with cheese”. We’re both lifelong cheese fans and, when we were in Yorkshire and the Lake District a few weeks ago, we marvelled at the vast choice of artisan cheeses on offer and tasted some of the locally produced cheeses at the first-class Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes. We haven’t done a fondue for years, but after seeing January’s recipe it will definitely be our next cheese course. Subject: Tradition to relish From: Charlotte Craddock I was dubious, but wanted to try scotch woodcock [Jan, p9] as my grandfather loved Gentleman’s Relish. Turns out it’s totally amazing! Salty, but yummy. It…

PORTRAIT: CHRIS TERRY. ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Curiosity plays a big part in my life in food. I lie in bed thinking about seasonal produce, new ingredients and exciting combinations. “Oh, yes,” I think, “that would work with that.” I have to put it all down… If I get up and run to my phone in the night, my husband knows I have a new recipe coming. I write all sorts of poetry. Slam poetry, rhyming, short, long… It’s a release of thoughts and energy. I give myself pockets of peace, and poetry is one of them. There’s something wonderful about writing by hand. I refer back to my poems and it takes me to an emotion or time I’ve moved on from – they’re a bit like a diary. Our…

PHOTOGRAPHS: TOBY SCOTT. FOOD STYLING: ESTHER CLARKE. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS February is the most disgraceful of all the months, but at least it has the decency to be short. January brings with it optimism for the new year and the bonus of Christmas-present books and knitwear, the busy-ness of back to work and school, and a host of good intentions (are you still cycling to work, taking that yoga class, keeping up with your Duolingo app? Me neither). By now, many of us are deeply bored by winter and ready for spring, but spring drags its feet. We get over-excited by the first brave crocuses pushing through the earth, still often hard as iron, often to see them and their inherent optimism vanish beneath a blanket of snow. It keeps…

Spring is on its way, but there are still some cold, dark evenings to fend off. Never fear: here are 10 of the best wines, spirits and liqueurs for taking on the chill of February. I’ve picked wines that are especially ripe, rich and packed with forceful flavours (they’re all well balanced too), and other drinks with notes of ginger, pepper, spice and oak. I’ve even included a smoky, bittersweet non-alcoholic digestif. Some of the wines make great matches for our recipes this month, so check out my recommended pairings and see off the last of those wintry nights in comforting style. ROBUST WINES FOR HEARTY FOOD Tesco Finest New Zealand Chardonnay 2020, Gisborne, New Zealand 13% There are rich notes of butterscotch and wood spice here, but this barrel-aged…

RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING: JEN BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPH: GARETH MORGANS. STYLING: DAVINA PERKINS Fresh green paneer curry Serves 4 Hands-on time 15 min • Glug sunflower or rapeseed oil • 226g pack paneer, cut into chunks (we used Everest, from Tesco and Waitrose) • 40g bunch coriander, roughly chopped • ½ small bunch mint, leaves picked • 5cm fresh ginger, grated • 4 garlic cloves, crushed • Juice 2 lemons and 1 lime • 100g (about 8 tbsp) greek yogurt, plus extra to serve • 4 handfuls baby spinach leaves • 1 tsp ground cumin • ½ tbsp garam masala, plus extra to serve • ¼ tsp ground turmeric • 2 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry pan • Steamed rice or naans and mango chutney to serve 1 Heat a glug of oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the paneer on…

Lime leaves (from orange, lemongrass and lime leaf marmalade p23) • THAI-STYLE ‘CHIMICHURRI’ Serves 6-8 Finely chop a few lime leaves, 1 lemongrass stalk, a bunch of coriander and 1 red chilli (remove the seeds if you’re sensitive to heat). Mix in a bowl with 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 3-4 tbsp fish sauce, the juice of 2-3 limes, 2 tbsp honey and enough olive oil to make a coarse-textured sauce (about 125ml). Serve with grilled meat, fish or roasted vegetables. • ADD TO PICKLES AND FERMENTS Add 1-2 whole leaves to your next batch of sauerkraut, pickled lemons/ limes or kombucha to boost it with a subtle hit of lime. • LIME LEAF BUTTER Mix together 150g softened unsalted butter, 4-6 finely chopped lime leaves, 2 tbsp grated ginger, a pinch of…

The swede is a turnip and cabbage hybrid EAT THE SEASONS Swede The gently sweet flavour of swede makes it perfect for roasting, mashing or turning into soup with other root vegetables (beetroot is excellent). It’s also a good source of vitamins C and B, the minerals potassium, folate, manganese and phosphorous, and fibre . PUDDING LOVERS: TURN AWAY NOW Scientists have ranked the healthiness of more than 8,000 food and drink items from best to worst in a new guide designed to help consumers make better nutritional choices. The Food Compass gives each a score based on calories, salt, fat, nutrients, levels of processing, additives, beneficial plant compounds and other factors. Almost all raw fruit, nuts and seeds receive top marks, while the lowest scores go to snack products…

Brain health Scientists at Harvard School of Public Health found people with the highest intake had a lower risk of cognitive decline. Metabolic and cardiovascular health Numerous studies have linked higher intakes of flavanols and anthocyanins with reduced blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease. According to Oregon State University’s Micronutrient Information Centre, some “promising” studies suggest these same flavonoids might be useful in the management and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Cancer treatment There have been promising results in animal studies, but only a limited number of robust human studies have found that flavonoids might protect against cancer. Gut health Research suggests a diet rich in flavonoids encourages a greater diversity of healthy microbes in the gut, and this might explain some of their wide health benefits.…

Edd’s story… Known as @theboywhobakes, Edd’s childhood passion for baking led him to enter – and win – the first series of The Great British Bake Off. He has since become a popular food writer, blogger and TV personality, and he’s the author of four cookbooks on baking. Edd’s pain au chocolat PHOTOGRAPHS: HANNAH HUGHES.FOOD STYLING: JESS MEYER.STYLING: VICTORIA ELDRIDGE Makes 12 pastries Hands-on time 30 min, plus proving and resting – start this recipe 2 days before you want to eat the pastries Specialist kit Stand mixer, ruler or measuring tape Useful to have Instant-read digital thermometer MAKE AHEAD Start the recipe 2 days ahead. Any leftovers will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container at room temperature. Refresh in a hot oven for 5 minutes…

EASY SQUEEZY These tubes of Kallo organic stock paste are a handy way to boost flavour – just squeeze where you would use a stock cube. The recyclable tube contains six servings and comes in Vegetable & Mixed Herbs, Chicken & Rosemary or Garlic & Mixed Herbs. £2.50/100g, Sainsbury’s SPREAD BETTER Made with top quality, all natural ingredients – including a generous 20% hazelnuts and, crucially, no palm oil – this has been a game-changer in our house. It comes in a neat glass jar with the classic red gingham lid, tastes super-smooth and is utterly addictive. Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, £2.80/250g, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco and Booths TAPENADE-TASTIC The family loved these vegan, gluten-free tapenades. Stir the Kalamata Olive into pasta ribbons with a little cooking water. The Smoky…

AFTERNOON TEA SPREAD Welsh cakes p100 Lemon curd quatre quarts p74 Rhubarb jam thumbprint cookies p70 Seville orange marmalade drizzle cake p28 SATURDAY NIGHT WITH FRIENDS Pisco sours p81 Goat’s cheese fritters p78 Sticky seville orange chicken with ’nduja haricot beans and whipped tarragon ricotta p24 Rhubarb and custard slice p64 HEARTY WEEKEND LUNCH French onion soup p37 Roast chicken with golden garlic, sherry and almonds p56 Marmalade roasted squash and roots with herby labneh p25 Chilled coconut rice pudding with rhubarb jam p69…

Carluccio’s parting gift Almost 800 books from the personal library of Antonio Carluccio, the UK’s ‘godfather of Italian cooking’, form part of a new collection at Oxford Brookes University. They showcase his passion for regional Italian cuisine, foraging and mushrooms, and join the libraries of Ken Hom and Jane Grigson. As well as books, TV shows and cuttings highlighting Antonio’s influence on the food world, the archive includes watercolour sketches, handwritten notes and walking sticks whittled by the late cook, writer, restaurateur and bon viveur, who first came to the UK in 1975 to work as a wine importer. brookes.ac.uk/library/special-collections A STORY TO CURL UP AND DEVOUR First published in 1845, Eliza Acton’s Modern Cookery for Private Families is one of the UK’s earliest cookbooks. Admired by cooks from Elizabeth…

“Marmalade season is here again, and seville oranges are back to lighten our darkest days with bright Spanish sunshine” Zingy lime marmalade Makes 4-5 regular jars Hands-on time 20 min, plus overnight soaking Simmering time 1 hour 15-40 min Specialist kit Muslin cloth; kitchen string; sugar or jam thermometer; preserving pan or deep heavy-based pan KNOWHOW Perhaps surprisingly, homemade lime marmalade has a golden colour – this is due to caramelisation and oxidation in the preserving process. Commercial lime marmalade often has colouring added to turn it green. • 650g limes (about 8) • 2 lemons • 1.5kg granulated sugar 1 Halve all the fruit and squeeze out the juice. Pour the juice into a large jug on your scales and top up to 2 litres (2 kilograms) with cold water. 2 Put…

RECIPES: MATT MORAN. PHOTOGRAPHS: BEN DEARNLEY. STYLING: KIRSTEN JENKINS Beef, ginger and spring onion noodle soup “Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite” AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 20-30 min Simmering time 1½-2 hours MAKE AHEAD Prepare to the end of step 4 (except don’t add the greens), then chill, covered, for 2-3 days – or freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a pan until piping hot, adding the greens and noodles to serve. The onion and ginger oil will keep in the fridge for a few days – use it up in stir-fries or dressings. KNOWHOW Ask your butcher…

PORTRAIT: SAM PELLY. RECIPE: VALLI LITTLE. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: BRETT STEVENS Pyramids or bricks, refreshing or earthy, goat’s cheeses have many guises. And for those who find cow’s milk cheeses difficult to digest, they can be easier to stomach thanks to differences in their fat and protein structure. FRESH AND ZINGY Handle goat’s milk roughly and its delicate fats can release soapy notes. But in the hands of a skilful cheesemaker, they sing. If you think you don’t like goat’s cheese, try fresh, young versions such as rosary from Wiltshire or chavroux from France, which fizz with lemon sherbet acidity and clean, milky notes. They can be whipped with olive oil to make a dip for radishes and flatbreads, or combined with earthy beetroot and walnuts in a salad. They’re so…

It was when I realised that beer was more than just something drunk by the pint that I saw how brilliantly varied it was. That sidestep from 4% ABV pints to bottles and cans upwards of 6% ABV revealed a whole new world – and flavours I’d never experienced before. I’d buy dark Belgian ales with deep, raisiny tones, rich and chocolatey stouts, IPAs that seemed to smell like a fresh fruit salad. I’d pour the beer into a fancy glass and contemplate it instead of just quaffing it, wowed by what I was tasting. Things got even more interesting when I started thinking about what I’d like to eat with those beers. I loved the idea that I could have fun with it. I didn’t need to be making…

Tuna and anchovy pasta Serves 2-3 Hands-on time 30 min KNOWHOW Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water. We don’t recommend microwaving as the sauce will lose its silky texture. EASY SWAPS This recipe works just as well without the chilli, so omit it if you’re not a fan of heat. You can use any black or kalamata olives: black ones add a bitterness while kalamata bring more brininess. • 60g salted or unsalted butter • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, sliced into half moons • Small bunch parsley, stalks and leaves chopped separately • ½-1 tsp chilli flakes (optional) • 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and chopped • Finely grated zest 1 lemon, juice ½ • 300g dried pasta…

• SPENT COFFEE GROUNDS There’s still plenty of flavour in those grounds once you’re done with your morning brew. Air dry the grounds, then whizz in a spice grinder to a fine powder – it’ll add depth to pulled pork or chilli, make a quick rub for steak and roast beef or add a mocha twist to cookies, ice cream or cheesecake bases. Courser grounds work well for infusing milk/cream for puddings – and you can leave some in for texture. • FETA BRINE Don’t tip it down the sink! Use this overlooked flavour booster to intensify any dish containing feta – and many that don’t. When cooking your next batch of pulses or rice, replace some of the water with feta brine; you can also add it to salad dressings and…

Have you heard of flavonoids? They’re a vast family of chemical compounds that occur naturally in a variety of fruit, veg and plant-based foods such as chocolate, red wine and tea. Plants mostly produce these compounds to fend off predators. There are six main subgroups: anthocyanins, flavanols (aka flavan-3-ols), flavonols, flavones, flavanones and isoflavones. Over the past few decades, many studies have suggested a diet rich in these compounds could have benefits for cognitive health and heart disease – and possibly help protect against cancer (see box, p108). WHAT’S THE SCIENCE? Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a nutritionist at the University of Reading, says scientists are still learning about the biological mechanisms of flavonoids. They were once thought to be antioxidants – molecules that stop cell damage – but that has been…

• Red wine • Dark chocolate and cocoa powder • Berries (especially blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries) • Blackcurrants and redcurrants • Apples • Pears • Black grapes • Grapefruit/ pomelos • Oranges • Lemons • Limes • Cherries • Black tea • Green tea • Thyme • Dill • Fresh parsley • Fresh rosemary • Capers • Almonds • Hazelnuts • Walnuts • Broad beans • Miso paste • Tofu • Edamame beans • Kale • Pak choi • Black olives • Red onions • Globe artichokes…

• The ideal proving environment is 25ºC – but no higher or you risk the butter melting. If your kitchen is cooler, you can create a proving oven – place a bowl of hot water on the bottom of your oven and close the door for about 5 minutes. The steam will create warmth to prove your pastries, but you need to keep an eye on the temperature, adjusting the water to keep the temperature consistent. • Don’t try and rush the process by skipping the chilling stages. If the butter gets too warm it will leak into the dough; too cold and the dough will break as it’s rolled. • When you’re rolling out the dough, especially for the final time, you’ll find it may resist and spring back. This is a…