Table of contents for August 2023 in Delicious UK

Welcome to August – an issue bursting with recipes by women whose expertise shines brightly in the food world: Anna Higham with her brilliant baking (p64); women setting trends in barbecue (p34); MasterChef winner Chariya Khattiyot (p20); plus respected food writer and teacher Ursula Ferrigno, who shares recipe-memories of her Italian childhod (p46). That’s only part of it, though. On p75 we take a fresh look at fish: what to eat and what to avoid. There’s inspiration for adventures in fish cookery too, courtesy of guest stars Tommi Miers, Zainab Pirzada, Georgina Hayden (three more pioneering women), Mitch Tonks and James Strawbridge, all of whom know their fishy stuff. Kudos to the Marine Stewardship Council and photographer David Loftus for working with us on this sustainability story. It underlines our…

nagsheadhaughton.com PUBBY CREDS The couple behind buzzy Manchester food courts Alty Market and Mackie Mayor rescued The Nag’s Head, transforming it into a haven for food lovers. In summer, sit in the kitchen garden, which grows wild with fruit trees, herbs and flowers. Indoors, cosy nooks beckon, with huge open fires ready to roar come autumn. THE FOOD The phrases ‘farm to table’, ‘locally grown’ and ‘seasonal’ are the soul of the considered menu. Animals are bought whole from two regenerative farms just three miles away and veg is grown in nearby Nantwich. The silky wild garlic risotto with garden peas was sublime. THE BOOZE A colourful array of ales and lagers, with plenty of local brews on tap. The wine list is generous and the ‘som’ knows his grapes.…

This month’s star email wins a Magimix Le Micro Mini Chopper, worth £60 Small, powerful and easy to use, the mini chopper purées, grinds, blends, liquidises and, of course, chops. With an 800ml capacity, it’s compact and easy to stash away – ideal for smaller kitchens. The durable stainless steel blade makes light work of vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices, while the pulse function allows for control over texture and consistency. magimix.co.uk FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A MAGIMIX MINI CHOPPER… Let us know your thoughts on this month’s issue by emailing us at info@deliciousmagazine.co.uk*…

in the know. OUR FAVOURITE ICES TO BUY THIS SUMMER THE VEGAN ONE Dairy-free ice cream – a contradiction in terms? Yet somehow, in the hands of Booja-Booja, this frozen treat is so good that you don’t miss what’s usually a key ingredient. Our favourite? The caramel pecan praline, with a sweet-balancing hint of sea salt… And how do they achieve the essential ice cream creaminess? With organic cashew nuts. Clever. £5.65 for 465ml, Waitrose THE ONE YOU WANT THOUGH YOU KNOW IT'S WRONG After launching blonde choc bar Caramilk in 2021, Cadbury has gone and swirled this golden nectar through vanilla ice cream. Tuck into caramelised chunks of chocolate, ripples of caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream and an entire core made of Caramilk. It’s super sweet and unfairly moreish.…

School may be out for the summer, but Mark Diacono’s latest picks turn the kitchen into the classroom (in a good way). Gen up on everything from pasta making and plant-based desserts to the art of tasting cheese Recipe I can’t wait to make: Tarte bordaloue, a pear and frangipane tart (above). I didn’t know that… Setting agent agar-agar is extracted from red seaweed. BOOK OF THE MONTH A NEW WAY TO BAKE Philip Khoury – head pastry chef at Harrods – has created a book that will be a game-changer for those who follow a plant-based diet. Its subtitle, Re-imagined Recipes For Plant-based Cakes, Bakes And Desserts, says it all. There are fresh takes on classics including tiramisu, chocolate hazelnut babka, crème brûlée and carrot cake – as well…

Jet off to recipe heaven! Even if you’re a hater where Marmite is concerned, we implore you to give this a go! Whisked into the batter, it provides a deep savouriness without actually tasting of Marmite, upgrading this beloved holiday classic with ease. The dipping mayo is brightened up with a trio of citrus zests for extra sunshine flavour We’ll happily accept pretty much any iteration of crispy potatoes slathered in sauce, but this verdant refresh of Spain’s iconic tapas dish is the one we keep coming back to this summer. Replacing a tomato-based sauce with one containing artichoke, pepper, chilli and parsley provides plenty of vegetal brightness to cut through the fried patatas Green patatas bravas Serves 4 as a side Hands-on time 35 min MAKE AHEAD Make the…

voices in food. The Amalfi coast, also known as la divina costiera (the divine coast), is a magical area to me – vertiginous terraces and pastel-painted villages clinging to the cliffs, suspended between a clear blue sky and the sapphire waters of the Mediterranean. It’s also where I was born and where I lived until I was 12. Even after we moved to the UK, we’d return every summer to be with my grandparents. Being surrounded by people passionate about growing and eating food, I grew up knowing so much about pears, plums, apricots, oranges and lemons. I watched my nonna making pasta and soups, rolling meatballs, preserving tomatoes and aubergines, creating magical dishes out of a few simple ingredients: san marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, anchovies, fish fresh from the…

A BIT ABOUT ANNA An award-winning Scottish pastry chef, baker and writer, she’s in the process of opening Quince Bakery in north London. Previously, Anna worked in some of the city’s top kitchens, including Lyle’s, Pétrus and The River Café, as well as the Gramercy Tavern in New York City. Her first cookbook, The Last Bite (DK £22), is a love letter to seasonal desserts and baking. @anna.atthetable THE MASTER RECIPE Brioche dough Makes enough for 2 large tarts or loaves, each serving 8-10 Hands-on time 45 min, plus at least 2 hours proving/chilling Specialist kit Stand mixer fitted with a dough hook “I’ve added a good amount of wholemeal flour here in the form of a tangzhong – a method borrowed from Chinese and Japanese baking where you precook…

Salad leaves Lettuce is easily forgotten and left to wilt at the back of the fridge. Emily Gussin is here to show you how to revive rather than throw it CHARRING TIME Whole heads of lettuce past their best? Cut into wedges about 3cm thick, keeping the root intact, then drizzle with oil, season and cook over a high heat in a griddle or frying pan for a minute or two on each side. Charring adds extra flavour and the heat softens the lettuce, so it doesn’t need to be super fresh and crisp to start with. SOUPY SAVIOUR Chilled soups, especially the green varieties, are the perfect vehicle for lettuce leaves that are no longer crisp. They’ll add extra flavour and nutrients, and as the soup is blended, you…

Cocktail of the month Transport yourself to the costa with our classic holiday drink – it’s made for balmy summer evenings. Our version pairs red wine with citrus, brandy and a touch of sparkling water. Sangria Serves 6-8 Hands-on time 15 min Put 1 lemon and 1 orange, sliced, in a large jug. Add 100ml brandy, 300ml orange juice and 750ml red wine (we recommend rioja). You can also add 50g sugar if you prefer your sangria a little sweeter. Stir, cover and chill for 1 hour – this helps all the flavours mingle. When ready to serve, add plenty of ice to the jug, then top up with 300ml sparkling water. Per serving (for 8) 113kcals, no fat, 0.5g protein, 3.2g carbs (3.2g sugars), trace salt, no fibre…

Plant-based meal Glutenfree recipe Ready in 20 minutes Freeze ahead No-cook supper A sweet juicy peach balances the acidity of the tomatoes and cuts through the creamy richnesss of the cheese and green avocado. This makes a gorgeous meal in itself, or a cracking side with roast chicken and crusty bread Peach caprese salad Serves 2 Hands-on time 15 min NEXT TIME Add a few slices of parma ham or prosciutto for a salty, meaty element. • 1 peach, as ripe as you can find • 200g ripe medium tomatoes on the vine • 1 avocado • 1 ball mozzarella or burrata • 3 basil sprigs • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • Sea salt flakes to sprinkle 1 Stone and slice the peach into…

GO SAVOURY Tucking into sweet stuff first thing can cause blood sugar levels to soar and crash, leaving you hungry. Instead, go for savoury and try to include protein, fibre and healthy fats. A healthy fry-up is ideal. “Scrambled or poached eggs with cooked mushrooms, tomatoes and wholemeal toast, followed by a palmful of berries, for example,” says Thalia. Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast makes a good quick alternative. “If savoury doesn’t appeal, a healthy compromise could be French toast,” she says. “I like to add cinnamon and vanilla to the beaten egg.” Serve with berries, Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. WHAT ABOUT PORRIDGE? It can form the basis of a healthy breakfast, but oats and milk aren’t enough. “Don’t forget protein and fats,” says Thalia. Stir in…

Trout rillettes with dill and green grapes Serves 2 Hands-on time 10 min, plus cooling Oven time 15-20 min KNOW-HOW The quality of the vinegar will shine through here, so if you have a bottle of good white wine, sherry or champagne vinegar, now’s the time to use it. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Finely grate the zest of 1 lemon into a bowl, then slice the fruit into rounds (saving one end to squeeze some juice from later). Put the slices on a sheet of baking paper in a single layer. Sit 2 trout fillets on top, season with salt and pepper, then bring the edges of the paper together and seal to make a parcel. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then open the parcel, check the fish…

Do you pick your holiday destination based on the local food? Discover how the phenomenon evolved over the last 200 years in this thoughtful book. From the golden age of steamships to the glamorous era of aeroplane travel, Professor Daniel E Bender recounts the birth of modern food tourism through the meals eaten by the first people to travel for pleasure and write about it. Reaktion Books £20…

Follow us on social @deliciousmag “My father’s veggie pizzas were special” Drink order? Old-fashioned tea is my fuel. Alcoholic: a pale ale like Adnams Ghost Ship. Favourite family recipe? My mother-in-law’s tarragon chicken is one for the generations. Treasured food memory? My father’s fully loaded veggie pizzas, made with cheap cheeseand-tomato bases and every veg and type of cheese. I’ve never been able to re-create them. Kitchen stalwart? My KitchenAid mixer. I saved for years for it, and it’s totally changed the way I bake. Secret weapon? Ground allspice. I love the warmth it brings to tomato sauces. Food adventure? Making the transition from vegetarian to meat eater. We buy the best meat we can afford and never take it for granted. It’s opened up a whole new world of…

CHILLED OUT Too hot to even think about cooking? This gazpacho from Re:Nourish is the answer. A world away from some of the more watery options out there, it feels thick enough to satisfy but light enough to counteract the blazing sunshine. £2.95 for 500g, Ocado KEBABULOUS! Ready-made skewers tend to be overprocessed, measly and aggressively flavoured with poor quality aromatics, but the impressively named Collection Master Grill Greek Style Pork Skewers from M&S buck the trend. Generous in size, top quality and the ultimate grill fodder. £9.50 for 675g, M&S ARE YOU READY FOR THESE? Dill and pickle-flavoured snacks are big business in the US and Eastern Europe, and they’re finally starting to make in-roads in the UK. The new dill pickle and jalapeño flavour of Kettle Chips has…

CHARIYA'S SUMMER SPREAD FOR FRIENDS “I like to make khao soi noodles, a coconut curry with chicken and lemongrass. The dish comes from Chiang Mai province where I grew up, and I use my mother’s recipe. There’s sweetness from palm sugar, sour from tamarind and lime juice, a little heat and saltiness – all the flavours! Soft noodles, crispy noodles and freshness from herbs and beansprouts. I cooked it on MasterChef and Monica Galetti loved it. It goes well with my homegrown rhubarb lemonade, which is sharp and refreshing.” I grew up in Northern Thailand, which is all about mountains, hiking and forests. It was magical for me. I grew up with my grandad and we were poor. He was a barber and worked every day just to raise me.…

485 People escorted by Mr Thomas Cook on one of the world’s first package tours in 1841. They were temperance campaigners travelling from Leicester to a rally in Loughborough. 48 How many hours it took to get to Corsica before Vladimir Raitz of Horizon Travel began chartering weekly flights in 1950. 120 The length in miles of the Costa Blanca (White Coast), a term coined in the 1950s when British Airways introduced a route there. 50 Number of years Charles Hawtrey had been an actor when he appeared in Carry On Abroad (1972), set in the half-built Spanish resort of Elsbels. 31m Passengers carried by package-holiday disruptor Ryanair in 2005. 44 The percentage of UK holidaymakers likely to book an overseas package holiday in 2023.*…

Stone fruit season is one of my favourites. Biting into something so juicy that you might have to eat it over the sink is one of life’s joys, especially when the out-of-season alternatives are hard as bullets, never really ripen and taste of very little. And while I do love the small, tender plums and greengages grown in the UK, there’s something about the smooth yellow flesh of a peach or nectarine that you can’t beat. It’s the taste of sunshine. As with many of the best seasonal fruit, blink and you’ll miss them – with a yearlong wait before they’re back. To extend that fresh, juicy, sunny taste, I make nectarine curd. As fruit curds are smooth and buttery they work best with punchy flavours – it’s why sharp…

If, like me, you’re quite a lazy person, pull up a lawn chair and come sit under my parasol. It’s here. Summer is our season. For a start, more hours of daylight allow for languorous evenings in the garden or local park, giving us the opportunity to cram an extra shift of leisure and pleasure into each day. Much of our cooking becomes assembling. With a bit of luck, the sunshine has done all the hard work for us, presenting us with luscious salads, juicy stone fruit and sweetly scented berries so ripe they stain our fingers and lips – because who can wait to eat them with a spoon? Wash, chop, put on a plate, dress and you’re done. Maybe light the grill if you’re feeling energetic, but don’t…

Codorníu Vintage Cava Brut 2021, Penedès, Spain 11.5% Most cava comes from northeast Spain, near Barcelona. Here’s a fine example showing the green apple peel, toasty hint and lively bubbles that are the hallmarks of this classic sparkler. Party on. £11.49, Tesco Alaina Rosé 2022, LanguedocRoussillon, France 12.5% Made just inland from the coast near Perpignan, this is an excellent, dry and well balanced rosé, fresh and elegant with wisps of red cherry and strawberry. On offer this month, it gives Provençal pinks a run for their money. £11.99, down to £8.99 from 2-22 August, Waitrose Found Agiorgitiko 2021, Peloponnese, Greece 13.5% A new Greek red, part of M&S’s excellent Found range of more unusual wines. Juicy, ripe but soft in style with cassis, prunes and a dab of dark…

In season REDCURRANTS The ruby-red treasures are not only mouth-puckeringly tasty but also have a great nutrient profile: 100g delivers almost half your daily requirement, as well as being a good source of vitamin K. Serve in fruit salad with other sweeter berries or on a pavlova – they’re a great foil for the rich cream and sweet meringue. NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH… Could eating more insects boost your gut health? That’s what research from Colorado University suggests as it turns out that chitin, the fibrous outer layer of insects, helps good bacteria in the gut to flourish. Scientists also found that insects contain more essential healthy omega-3 fats than many plant foods. Insect farming is widely seen as a planet-friendly alternative to livestock production because it requires less water,…

1 Champ and colcannon are Irish potato dishes. One includes spring onions and one includes cabbage but which is which? 2 Steak tartare should be eaten… a) Well done b) Medium rare c) Bleu d) Raw 3 In a kitchen a peel is used… a) To remove the skin from fruit and veg b) To put pizzas in ovens c) To strain liquids d) To roll out filo pastry 4 What was wine connoisseur Miles’ favourite grape in the film Sideways? a) Merlot b) Chardonnay c) Pinot noir d) Sangiovese 5 Which of these is not usually found in a long island iced tea? a) Gin b) Tequila c) Brandy d) Vodka e) Rum f) Triple sec 6 What is used to thicken the classic French stew blanquette de veau? a) Beurre manié b) Mashed potatoes c) Gelatine d) Eggs 7 Jersey black butter is a local…

…AND BREATHE Escaping to one of the National Trust’s special places is a tonic, with lush scenery and space to relax. Throughout August, the charity’s Summer of Play event will see over 170 houses and gardens in England, Wales and Northern Ireland host free family activities inspired by history and nature, such as archery sessions, straw bale castles, a mud kitchen and Tudor cooking demos. Locations include Castle Ward in County Down and Gibside near Gateshead. Standard admission applies, some events select days only; nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/family-friendly THAT LOOKS COOL Would you wear an ice cream conepatterned outfit? Famed pop artist Andy Warhol worked as a commercial illustrator early in his career, but also anonymously sold fabric designs. Until 10 September, the London Fashion & Textile Museum near London Bridge is displaying…

@emily_eats_the_world Absolutely! I plan most of our travels around food, food tours and cooking classes @pat.sserie One of the best things about travelling is eating the food from the place you are visiting @juliettelowe 7 hour round trip drive in Scotland every year to @lochinverlarder for their pies. So worth it! @theneedy.greedy San Sebastián for the tapas, Honfleur for the seafood and Lisbon for the pastéis de nata (best custard tarts in the world) @evian.david Across the Pennines to Oldstead to dine and stay over @blackswan_oldstead @trish50mil Scotland for the haggis @aliciasfood It’s the only reason I travel tbh. I plan out my trips based on where/what to eat @susaninlondon Alba for the white truffles @jmzc_eats All my holidays and weekends away JOIN THE CHAT Connect with other delicious. food…

1. UP YOUR SERVICE GAME Who said salad servers had to be a foot long? This mango wood set, with stumpy, easy-to-grip handles wrapped in woven bamboo (hand wash only), do the job just as well as their leggy counterparts. £23.50 (17cm long), minthousehome.co.uk 2. SUMMER ESSENTIAL A wipe-clean 39cm tray for serving charcuterie, cheeses, bread (like the wonderful focaccia on our cover) or salad (ditto)… Easiest hot-weather starters, in other words. The bold crab design, in enamel on a mango wood base, complements this issue’s costa del flavour theme. There are more muted designs too. £53, thenauticalcompany.com 3. HOOPS AND BEETS I love a food-themed earring. These little trinkets, which come gift-packaged (nice), are made from sustainable, lightweight, hand-inked wood. They come with 14kt gold-filled hoops (a thicker layer…

STONE FRUIT SUPERSTARS Roasted peaches, burrata, basil and lemon with courgette shavings p52 Tahini and nectarine sandwich cake p70 Stone fruit brioche tart with crème fraîche custard p67 You can get them year-round from abroad but in-season stone fruit are in another league – juicy and bursting with flavour. Make the most of them before they disappear with this trio of fruity beauties. THE GREAT OUTDOORS Watermelon greek salad with marinated feta p30 Smoky aubergine and figs with a pickled apricot and harissa salsa p39 Sangria p97 A refreshing take on greek salad meets gently spiced aubergine on the barbecue – with a beautiful jug of Spanish-style sangria to keep everyone in high spirits. This’ll be your go-to menu for scorching hot weekends with friends. EUROSMASH Puttanesca focaccia p30 Tomato,…

barbecue. Get great results. YOUR GUIDE TO CHOOSING CHARCOAL • Charcoal is your number one ingredient in barbecue, so choose with care. Open a bag of fuel and give it a sniff. It shouldn’t smell of anything much – if it does it will contain chemicals that you may not want to be cooking with. • Using pure charcoal, or carbon, means you don’t have to wait for it to turn white and ashy before cooking – you can light it and grill straightaway. It’s a more environmentally friendly choice and will save you money, too. • The internet is often the best place to buy charcoal from sustainable makers. Look for the ‘Grown in Britain’ logo to guarantee the wood is of British origin. Try whittleandflame.com or charlieoven.com. CONTROLLING…

If you’re wondering what trofie al pesto is – well, it’s simply the best version of pesto pasta there is. Pesto or, to give it its full name, pesto alla genovese, originated in Genoa, the capital of Liguria. Made fresh using only the finest local ingredients, pesto was traditionally served with pasta along with potatoes and green beans. Think of this dish as pesto pasta plus. THE PESTO Italians will swear there’s but one way to make proper pesto, some even dictating the direction to grind in your mortar. But despite all the handed-down knowledge (and myths), is the traditional method really the best way to make it? The short answer is not necessarily – but my aim isn’t to upset anyone’s nonna. Your ingredients Don’t be tempted to use…

be a sustainable cook. WHY SHOULD WE EAT FISH? It's valid question. If you watched the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, you might have concluded that we shouldn’t, full stop. The focus the makers placed on supertrawlers and intensive farms led many to conclude fishing was inherently unsustainable; that – as they’d claimed – we’d run out of fish completely by 2048 if we continued to fish in the same way. That claim is one of many to have been resoundingly debunked (the author of the scientific paper that made the claim has completely rescinded his views) yet the general sense of unease around seafood lingers on. Part of the problem is that in recent decades Brits haven’t been that comfortable venturing beyond cod, prawns, haddock, salmon and tuna. “80% of the…

I was nine the first time I went to Cyprus and I still remember the distinctive warm grassy smell as I stepped off the plane. I instantly felt connected to my other home. Having English and Turkish Cypriot heritage has given me a diverse view on the world. Destine Kaner, my Turkish Cypriot grandma, passed away in 1975 so I never got to meet her, but her handed-down recipes, this dish included, have kept her memory alive. On my first night in Cyprus, batches of warm crispy bulgar köftesi were waiting for me at my auntie Sıdıka’s home, ready to be snapped open, then finished with a squeeze of lemon straight from the garden. We devoured them instantly. Tradition had dictated that only my aunt was taught the ways of…

Lager is the world’s most global beer and equally its most local. In virtually any country or even city in the world, you’ll find that place’s own lager. We often try these beers when we travel, but we don’t often notice how they come to reflect where they’re made, in their branding (stylish Italian, traditional German, patriotic American), flavour and character. These drinking qualities may seem subtle, but if you were to line up a dozen world lagers you’d begin to notice the nuances, often determined by the local climate and cuisine: Spanish lagers have a fuller malt flavour for sunshine and salty dishes; Italian lagers are snappy and bitter, so perfect with pizza; southeast Asian brands are a little sweeter to begin, which is great with chilli heat, then…

Breakfast is a mystifying business these days. Once hailed as the most important meal of the day, its benefits have recently been called into question. Some experts still maintain a balanced morning meal gives the best possible start to the day and stops you overeating later; others argue that skipping breakfast can aid weight loss and improve your health in a host of different ways. Who on earth do we believe? THE SCIENCE ISN'T CLEAR CUT The UK’s official health advice is not to skip breakfast. Says the NHS: “You could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry.” Some studies do show that people who frequently skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight and have a higher…

Ahhh, summer. The long, balmy days. The warm, perfumed nights. And the jarring sound of sirens as the fire brigade attends yet another blaze caused by one of those odious instant barbecues that terrorise the local wheelie bin population between May and September. Statistics show it’s not just bin fires, either: the Home Office estimates that disposable barbecues are responsible for 4% (that’s one in 25) of major preventable fires, including wildfires that threaten vulnerable moorland habitats. Progress was made during last year’s hot summer, when retailers stopped selling instant barbecues completely to alleviate that risk. Aldi and Waitrose have kept the ban in place for the foreseeable – so when will the rest of us follow suit and give up instant grills for good? It’s not just the environment…