Author: Sophie

Lamb tagine

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Rich, savoury, spiced and sweet. Feeds 2. Serve over a pile of cous cous, scattered with toasted almonds and sliced green olives. Add a drained tin of chickpeas with the green beans if you want to bulk it out for 4.

  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 300g lamb neck fillet, sliced around 3mm thick
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp pul biber (or a pinch of chilli flakes)
  • Pinch of saffron
  • 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree
  • ½ lamb stock cube, crumbled
  • 7 dried apricots, roughly chopped
  • 1 preserved lemon, flesh discarded and skin chopped
  • 400ml boiling water
  • 8 chantenay carrots, topped and tailed
  • 100g fine green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
  1. Heat the oil in a deep lidded frying pan over a medium heat
  2. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 mins. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 mins
  3. Turn the heat up, add the lamb and stir in until.it goes brown round the edges
  4. Add the stock, tomato puree and spices, and stir fry for 2 mins
  5. Add the boiling water, apricots and preseved lemon, bring to a bubble and scrape all the delicous brown off the bottom
  6. Add the whole carrots and stir in
  7. Turn to a low simmer, put the lid on and cook for 25 mins, stirring a couple of times to make sure it’s not sticking and turning the carrots over
  8. Take the lid off, add the green beans and stir together, making sure the beans are submerged
  9. Simmer for a further 15 mins and taste to check the seasoning. Add salt if needed and serve straight away

Cherry chocolate brownies

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Inspired by the amazing Felicity Cloake who was in turn inspired by the marvellous Nigel Slater, these brownies are nothing short of miraculous. Soft, rich, moist and deeply chocolatey with hints of texture, bitterness and tartness from.the walnuts and cherries. And light enough so you can eat 2 without feeling sick. It’s just everything you could ever want a brownie to be.

  • 200g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
  • 250g unsalted butter, softened
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 60g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • 100g walnuts
  • 90g dried cherries
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170C fan (190C) and line a 23x23cm baking tin with baking parchment.
  2. Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate using the microwave in 30.second bursts until it’s just melted
  3. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy
  4. Add one egg at a time, beating between each one until thoroughly mixed
  5. Then, the secret of making these brownies beautifully light and fluffy inside with a fine, crisp top is to continue beating the mixture for 3-5 mins, which will leave it glossy, thick and voluminous
  6. Fold in the melted chocolate and then sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder. I don’t usually bother sifting things but in this recipe, I recommend it
  7. Add the walnuts and cherries and gently fold together until completely mixed
  8. Spoon the mixture gently into the lined tin and then fight your child for the chance to lick the spoon
  9. Bake for 30-40 mins and, while it’s cooking get a larger roasting tin half full of water and ice cubes
  10. When the brownies are ready, remove the tin from the oven and place directly into the cold water bath to stop it cooking (being extra careful not to let the water over the edge of the tin)
  11. Leave in the water for 15 mins then put the brownie tin onto the counter and leave for another 30 mins to cool completely before cutting into squares
  12. Store in an airtight container

Make these beauties gluten free by using GF plain flour or ground almonds instead of the flour.

And adapt endlessly to what you want most in your brownie. Salted pretzel pieces? Chocolate chips? Mini peanut butter cups? Honeycomb? Even a swirl of tahini. The world is your oyster (although metaphorical oyster only, I can’t imagine oysters working here. Or anywhere, to be honest). Maybe I should have said, the world is your brownie

Crushed avocado

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I know it’s bougie, but it’s also incredibly tasty on toast so I make no apologies.

  • 1 perfectly ripe avocado
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pul biber (or regular chilli flakes)
  1. Scoop the avocado out of its skin and into a small bowl
  2. Add the other ingredients and mix
  3. Eat straight away at room temp

Spicy steak stirfry

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As well being marvellously alliterative, this dish is so delicious you will lick the bowl clean. Feeds 2 generously.

  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • ½ onion, cut into 2cm pieces
  • ½ red pepper, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 100g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400g rump steak, trimmed and finely sliced into slices around 3mm thick
  • 3 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey/golden syrup
  • 1 heaped tsp cornflour
  • Small handful fresh coriander, chopped
  1. Have everything ready and to hand. This is a quickie!
  2. Heat a wok over the highest heat until scorching hot. Keep.it this hot all the way through
  3. Add the oil, swirl up the sides of the wok and then add all the veg
  4. Stir fry veg until browned round the edges and starting to soften
  5. Add the garlic and stir in
  6. Add the steak and stirfry briefly until it loses most of its pink (but not all)
  7. Add the chilli oil, shaoxing, soy sauce, oyster sauce and honey, plus 100ml water
  8. Stir in and bring to a bubble
  9. Pour in the cornflour slurry and mix quickly in create a glossy sauce
  10. Turn the heat off, stir in the coriander and serve with coconut rice for a beautiful contrast of mild sweetness against savoury spiciness. Job done.

Pepitas

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Seedy, munchy and spicy. And they’ve got the cutest name of any snack!

  • 150g pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tsp garlic oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • Wedge of lime
  1. Heat a small heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat
  2. Dry fry the pumpkin seeds, stirring as they swell and get a lovely toasty flavour
  3. Add the garlic oil and salt
  4. Stir and cook for a couple more mins
  5. Add the chilli flakes and stir in
  6. Then sprinkle the sugar over and stir constantly until it starts to melt
  7. Tip out onto a plate to cool slightly
  8. Serve straight away with the lime wedge to squeeze over

Tarte au Pommes

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Elegant and lovely in shades of palest fawn, buff and cream. A graceful combination of nutty, sweet almond frangipane and fine slices of tart apple. Its full name is the regal-sounding Tarte au Pommes de la Normande. It is Worth. The. Effort.

2 tart apples
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp apricot jam

Pastry (pate brisee):
200g flour
100g unsalted butter, fridge cold
1 egg yolk
½ tsp salt
2-3 tbsp cold water

Frangipane:
100g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk
2 tsp calvados or kirsch
100g ground almonds
2 tbsp flour

  1. For the pastry, mix flour and salt
  2. Grate in the cold butter and rub with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs
  3. Whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tbsp water
  4. Make a well in the centre of the flour and butter crumbs and tip in the egg mixture
  5. Work together with your fingertips until partly mixed, then tip out onto the work surface and gradually work the ingredients into a dough. If it’s too dry, sprinkle over a little more cold water
  6. Press the dough firmly together (it should be soft but not sticky) and knead until it is smooth and pliable
  7. Press it into a ball and roll lightly in flour. Wrap in a plastic bag or clingfilm
  8. Chill for at least 30 mins or until firm
  9. Once firm, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a couple of mm thick
  10. Transfer gently to a 10″ tart tin and press gently into the corners without breaking it. Prick the base lightly with a fork and flute the edges
  11. Chill in the fridge until ready to use

Then, when you’re ready to go…

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C)
  2. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat
  3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  4. Gradually add the whole egg, the yolk and the calvados, beating well between additions
  5. Fold in the ground almonds and flour
  6. Scrape the frangipane into the chilled pastry case and spreading it evenly
  7. Core the apples, peel and quarter
  8. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1-2mm slices
  9. Arrange the slices on the frangipane like the spokes of a wheel, keeping the slices of each quarter apple together but sliding them apart like fanning out like a deck of cards
  10. Press them down gently into the frangipane
  11. Then place the tart onto the hot baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins, until the pastry is beginning to brown
  12. Turn down the heat to 160C fan (180C) and cook for a further 10 mins
  13. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and continue baking for around 10 mins more until the sugar melts and caramelises slightly
  14. Transfer to a rack to cool
  15. Just before serving, melt the jam and use a pastry brush to brush the top of the tart librrally with the glossy sweetness

Serve at room temperature, with a sprinkle of toasted flakes almonds and a spoonful of softly whipped cream (whip it with a touch of sugar and calvados for something extra special)

Spiced crispy chickpeas

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Munchy, crunchy and more-ish. Plus super-easy to make and endlessly adaptable with whatever spices you like. What more could you want for snacking or mezze or salad topping?

  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • ½ salt
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C)
  2. Tip the chickpeas onto a tea towel or some kitchen towel and dry gently, but thoroughly. If you’ve got time, leave them to air dry for 10-15 mins for extra crispiness
  3. Toss them with 1 tbsp oil and tip onto a lipped baking tray in a single layer
  4. Roast for 20 mins. While they’re cooking, mix the remaining oil with the spices
  5. Remove the chickpeas from the oven and scrape over the spiced oil
  6. Toss everything together and pop the tray back in the oven for a further 10-15 mins until fragrant, golden and crisp enough to rustle when you shake the tray
  7. Cool on the tray and eat straight away!

Pizza

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Minimum effort, maximum smugness. Granted, it takes longer to make than a supermarket pizza, but it tastes 89% nicer. And, did I mention the smugness? Makes 4 individual pizzas.

  • 500g plain flour, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 packet instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 250ml warm water
  1. Put the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a large bowl and mix together. This is weirdly satisfying
  2. Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil and about two thirds of the water
  3. Mix together to form a soft dough, adding more water if needed to bring it together without making it soggy
  4. Dust the work surface with flour. Tip the dough out of the bowl and knead for around 7 mins until elastic and lovely. Form into a ball
  5. Clean the bowl or get a new one, and lightly oil the inside
  6. Plop the ball of dough into the bowl and place the whole thing into a plastic bag, sealing the open side by tucking it underneath
  7. Leave in a warm place for an hour to prove, until doubled in size
  8. Pre-heat oven to 230C fan (250C)
  9. Tip out the puffy dough and knead briefly to remove some of the air
  10. Divide into 4 and roll each quarter out into a roughly circular or oval shape around 3-5mm thick, dusting the work surface and the rolling pin with flour
  11. Line the baking trays or dust them well with flour, and lay the pizzas on them
  12. Top with whatever you like, although avoid anything too wet
  13. Wack into the oven for 12 mins, at which point the edges should be crusty and golden and the middle should be cooked through
  14. Let the smugness commence!

Alternatively, you can use a cooking technique suggested by the amazing Pizza Pilgrims Pizza in the Post kit. This is the actual best pizza I’ve ever eaten. I urge you to try it if you feel like eating pizza that is a bit more special and bit less effort than this recipe. Anyway, all you do is pre-heat the grill to high and stick a large frying pan on the hob on medium-high. Cook the pizza in your nice hot pan until the bottom is golden. Then stick the whole pan under the grill for a couple more mins until the pizza is puffy and golden. I encourage you to watch the video, if only because the chef is so nice.

My fave pizza combination is tomato sauce, mozzarella, sliced olives, cooked courgette slices and jalapenos. Arrange attractively and lavishly, then sprinkle over a bit of grated parmesan and a few torn fresh basil leaves. You could use roasted peppers, sweetcorn, chillies, pieces of cooked sausage, ham, cooked and well-squeezed-out spinach. Anything your heart desires! (Including pineapple but maybe not anchovies. Oh ok then, you can have anchovies too if you want).

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

  • 300ml tomato passata
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • Black pepper
  1. Heat the oil and scrape in the garlic
  2. Stir until just golden then add the passata, salt, sugar and pepper
  3. Cook at a bubble, stirring, just until it’s thickened a bit

Phew, that was a long one. If you got all the way to the end, well done you. Give yourself a treat from me.

Mitite kofte

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Succulent, savoury little lamb patties, the perfect addition to a mezze platter or stuffed in a pitta with salad and tzatziki (or, since we’re Turkish today, cacik). Makes around 20.

  • 500g lamb mince
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 50g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pul biber (or ½ tsp chilli flakes)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • Veg oil
  1. Add all the ingredients except the oil to a big bowl
  2. Use your hands to mix it all together thoroughly and then form into mini 4cm-diameter burger shapes. They don’t have to be perfect, slightly rough round the edges is fine!
  3. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and, when the oil is hot, add the koftes
  4. Cook without moving them for 4-5 mins on one side until brown and delicious, then flip and give them the same on the other side
  5. Serve warm on a platter, nestled among crisp lettuce leaves and watch as everyone falls upon them with cries of delight!

Suggested mezzes to accompany the kofte? I’d never leave you in the lurch without suggestions! I love coming up with a vivid combination of fresh and cooked elements, and a variety of textures and flavours. And it’s especially brilliant because everything can be served at room temperature. How about this?

  • Soft flatbread or toasted pittas
  • Muhammara
  • Tzatziki
  • Warm aubergine salad with mint, chilli and garlic
  • Falafels
  • Borek (spinach and feta pastries)
  • Skewers of chicken with saffron and yoghurt
  • Tomato salad with mint and parsley
  • Sliced cucumber and radishes
  • Spiced crunchy chickpeas

Sticky spicy cauli

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The ultimate snack-with-beer or starter to whet the appetite. Spicy, sweet, savoury – crunchy round the edges and soft in the middle.

  • 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
  • 100g plain flour
  • 40g cornflour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 3cm ginger, sliced into 2mm rounds
  • 2 cloves garlic, lightly squished with the flat of a knife
  • Fresh coriander
  • Spring onions, finely chopped
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C) and line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicon mat
  2. In a bowl, briefly whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, garlic and salt with 140ml cold water to the consistency of thick pancake batter
  3. Throw in the little cauliflower florets and stir gently until they’re completely coated with the batter
  4. Spoon each floret onto the lined baking tray, leaving a bit of space between them so they don’t stick together
  5. Bake for 20 mins until golden
  6. While they cook, heat a small saucepan over a medium-low heat and add all the remaining ingredients except the coriander and spring onions
  7. Stir together and heat to a bubble, stirring for a couple of mins until thickened
  8. Take the cauliflower out of the oven and tip into a bowl
  9. Pour over half to two thirds of the sauce and gently toss the toasty florets in it until coated
  10. Place them carefully back on the lined baking sheet (any sauce left in the bowl can be scraped back into the pan with a spatula)
  11. Put the cauli back into the oven for 10 mins until browned and crisp round the edges
  12. Tumble all the crunchy beauties onto a pretty serving plate, pour over the remaining sauce and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and spring onions

Eat them hot from the oven while you blow on your fingers and lick your lips.

As a shortcut (or just because you fancy chicken) you can use chicken nuggets instead of cauliflower and toss with the sauce for the final 7 mins of cooking