I’ve recently done something that I hate to do. I’ve culled my cookery book collection. It had to be done. There is only so much space I can lend to my ridiculously large collection; not only can you find them in my kitchen but they’ve also spread to cupboards upstairs and into the cellar where they’re winning the battle for space against Nick’s wine collection… And I keep buying them! So I’ve spent some weeks deliberating on which ones to take to my local Oxfam bookshop. It was a job that’s taken a lot longer than I had anticipated, the problem was that I got rather carried away falling back in love with far too many of them. Along the way I’ve rediscovered recipes I used to love and had somehow forgotten. I also have a new list of ‘must try’ recipes which will keep me busy into 2024 and beyond! Anyway, I eventually managed to remove just eight books from my collection and then made the mistake of going to my favourite book shop on Piccadilly, Hatchards, and buying three new books… perhaps I’m losing the battle?!

Anyway, the good news is, is that one of the recipes that I rediscovered has made it on to October’s menus. Menu One is ‘Lamb Ragu’ which is from an old cookbook by Gordon Ramsay, ‘Healthy Appetite’ (a book that I’ve kept!). I had been making this ragù for years but with the influx of new recipes I had somehow forgotten it; it’s a delicious ragù perfect for the an October supper and now it’s on Menu Mistress I will not be forgetting it again! Menu two is ‘Chicken Alla Cacciatora with Herb & Lemon Roast Potatoes’, I recently discovered this version of the classic Italian dish from cookery writer Rachel Roddy; served with the lemony potatoes it’s incredibly good. Menu Three is ‘Mushroom Stroganoff’, a very tasty vegetarian dish, the addition of cornichons, pickled onions and capers lifts it to higher realms. I found this Jamie Oliver recipe whilst surfing the internet and it’s been a popular addition to my recipe file!

Enjoy these recipes… I will see you next week for my ‘Tuesday Treat’!..

…And…Don’t forget to check out my new restaurant reviews here!

Menu One

Conchiglie with Lamb Ragù (Serves 4)

This is a delicious ragù, the lamb makes a lighter flavoured sauce than those traditionally made with beef and is all the better for it. Naturally, you can make it with other pasta shapes, but the conchiglie with its shell shape picks up the sauce particularly well. The recipe is from Gordon Ramsay’s cookbook ‘Healthy Appetite’ which first came out in 2008; this is one of the recipes that definitely stands the test of time!..

3 tablespoons olive oil

500g lean minced lamb

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 rosemary sprig, leaves only, chopped

A few sage leaves, chopped

125ml dry white wine

700g passata

250ml hot water

Pinch of sugar

300g dried conchiglie (shells) or other pasta shapes (gluten-free if required)

Sea salt and black pepper

A good olive oil to serve

1. Heat a large frying pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot add the mince and some salt and pepper. Fry, stirring for 8-10 minutes until evenly browned. Tip into a colander or sieve over a large bowl/sink to drain off the excess oil.
2. Meanwhile, in a large wide pan (with a lid) heat the remaining olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot and cook, stirring, over a high heat for 4-6 minutes until lightly golden brown. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the chopped herbs and wine, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Let the wine simmer until it has reduced to a syrupy glaze.
3. Add the browned lamb, passata and hot water. Stir well and bring to a low simmer. Partially cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 1-1½ hours, giving the mixture a stir now and again, until the lamb is tender. Taste for seasoning, adjust, adding a pinch of sugar if necessary.
4. When ready to serve, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and immediately toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Divide between warm bowls and spoon over the ragù.

Menu Two

Chicken ‘Alla Cacciatora’ with Herb & Lemon Roast Potatoes (Serves 4-6)

This is a classic Italian dish – chicken cooked ‘hunter-style’; in bygone days that generally meant whatever meat hunted cooked with the available garden vegetables or perhaps some foraged mushrooms. Just recently I discovered this particular version from food writer Rachel Roddy and it has become a favourite of mine as not only is it easy to prepare but very tasty with simple, balanced flavours. You can of course serve it with any potatoes of your choice but Roddy’s recipe for Herb and Lemon Roast Potatoes is particularly good – the lemon, which becomes wonderfully chewy from cooking, adds a delicious dimension.

5 tablespoons olive oil

2kg chicken jointed into 12 pieces (or a mixture of skin-on legs and thighs)

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 garlic cloves

A pinch of dried chilli flakes

Sprig of sage

400ml dry white wine, plus extra if needed

1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Handful of pitted black olives

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan (with a lid) over a medium-low heat. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin-side down and cook until a golden crust forms, then turn and brown the underside.
2. Chop the leaves from the one sprig of rosemary and finally chop the garlic cloves. Once all the meat has browned, return to the pan and sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and garlic, plus the chilli flakes. Add the remaining whole rosemary sprig and the sage, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the wine, stir, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.
3. Allow the chicken to simmer, turning the pieces from time to time until the meat is tender and everything is surrounded by a dense gravy – this takes around 45-60 minutes. If at any point the pan seems a little dry add a little more wine.
4. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the red wine vinegar to taste and the olives, stir, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with herb & lemon roasted potatoes (below).

Herb & Lemon Roasted Potatoes (Serves 4-6)

It’s always good to have a new potato recipe ‘up your sleeve’, and this one is one I’ve been cooking a lot lately!.. The crispy potatoes are wonderful with the herbs whilst the lemon becomes deliciously chewy with cooking.

1.2kg potatoes

8 tablespoons olive oil

A pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely

1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped finely

4 slices lemon

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Peel and chop the potatoes into 3cm cubes. Tip into a bowl and add the oil, chilli flakes, garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon slices, half the oregano and some salt then mix well.
2. Tip onto a baking tray and spread out evenly. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 30-40 minutes, turning the potatoes at least three times. Add the remaining oregano in the last 5 minutes.
3. Serve when crisp and golden, and piping hot.

Menu Three

Mushroom Stroganoff (Serve 4)

This is a very tasty vegetarian dish, the addition of cornichons, pickled onions and capers lifts it to higher realms. I found this Jamie Oliver recipe whilst surfing the internet and it’s been a popular addition to my recipe file!

400g mushrooms (mixed or chestnut), torn/cut into quarters or thickly sliced depending on their size

1 red onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

4 silverskin pickled onions, sliced

2 cornichons, sliced

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks chopped but kept separate

1 tablespoon baby capers

Olive oil

50ml whisky

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

80g half-fat crème fraiche

1. Place a large frying pan over a high heat, add the mushrooms and red onion and dry-fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the garlic, pickled onions, cornichons, capers and the chopped parsley stalks. After 3 minutes add the whisky, and carefully light with a long match. Once the flames subside add the paprika, the crème fraiche and chopped parsley leaves. Toss together and loosen with a splash of boiling water for a saucy consistency.
2. Divide between plates, sprinkle over a little more paprika if desired and serve with fluffy rice.

Dillusion Cocktail (Serves 1)

I recently came across this cocktail scrawled on a scrape of paper among my recipes. I was straightaway reminded of a fantastic evening many years ago at Dabbous, a restaurant (now closed) that was chef Ollie Dabbous’s first venture; he’s since gone on to bigger things with Hide, a restaurant on Piccadilly. I vaguely remember that the food that evening was very good but it was this cocktail that left its mark on me! It’s incredibly fresh made with gin, elderflower cordial, cucumber and dill – perfect for lifting a late September evening, or any other for that matter!..

2 large slices of cucumber

1 small bunch of Dill

50ml gin

15ml lemon juice

15ml elderflower cordial

1 teaspoon sugar syrup

Handful of ice

1. Crush the cucumber and dill together in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and shake together with a handful of ice.
3. Strain into a glass and enjoy!

Roast Sea Bream with Figs & Almonds (Serves 4)

This is a year-round recipe as it’s made with dried figs. However, I do feel that it’s particularly good right now as it allows us to cling on to ‘summery vibes’ as autumn approaches! The combination of the salty olives and sweet figs with the sea bream is fantastic, and, in addition it’s a really simple recipe, all you need is a good green salad on the side. Depending on the size of the fish you could serve one fish per person or alternatively two larger fish for four. I found this recipe in Skye McAlpine’s cookbook ‘A Table in Venice’ – not only are the recipes delicious but the photographs of both the food and of Venice are inspiring!…

4 sea bream (or 2 larger – see note above)

10 dried figs, quartered

80g black olives, stoned

20 almonds, chopped

50ml white wine

50ml olive oil

A few sprigs of rosemary

Sea salt

1. Wash the fish under cold water and pat dry, including their insides, with kitchen roll. Rub the insides of the fish with a little salt and lay them in a roasting tin.
2. Scatter the figs, olives and almonds over and around the fish. Drizzle in the wine and olive oil, tear the rosemary into pieces and add to the roasting tin.
3. Roast in an oven to 180’c fan for 30 minutes until the fish is cooked.

Tres Leches Cake

Wow, this is the most wonderful treat… a cross between a cake and a pudding! This Mexican cake is so called because the recipe uses three types of milk (tres leches). It’s incredibly light, moist and creamy. The sponge (which can be made with gluten-free flour if desired!) is soaked overnight with a mixture of evaporated, condensed and whole milk then topped with fresh whipped cream. Be warned it is very addictive – I like to serve it with strawberries to cut the creaminess!

For the Cake:

125g plain flour (gluten free if needed – I use Doves)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

5 large eggs, separated

200g caster sugar – divided 150g/50g

80ml whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Milk Mixture:

397ml tin condensed milk

340ml evaporated milk

60ml whole milk

For the Whipped Topping:

475ml double cream

3 tablespoons icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ground cinnamon for topping

Strawberries to serve

You will need a square cake tin (20 x 20 cm), lined with baking paper

1. Put the egg yolks in a bowl, add 150g caster sugar and whisk on high speed until the egg yolks are pale and creamy. Add 80g milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, stir to combine.
2. In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Now add the egg yolk mixture and stir gently until just combined.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then gradually add the remaining 50g of caster sugar and whisk until stiff and glossy.
4. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk batter until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the lined cake tin and smooth over. Bake in a preheated oven, 175’c fan, for 25-35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
6. Once the cake has cooled, whilst still in the tin, use a fork or skewer to pierce holes all over the cake.
7. Combine the condensed milk, the evaporated milk and whole milk in a small jug. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, making sure you pour near to the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake overnight to allow it to soak up the milks – don’t worry if there seems to be a lot of liquid – it will soak in eventually!
8. In the meantime whip the cream together with the icing sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks.
9. When ready to serve, smooth the whipped cream over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Cut into squares to serve (I find that it is easiest served from the tin or from the baking paper). Serve with sliced strawberries. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

I’m fresh back from my holidays and as always it’s good to be back in my kitchen. Whilst on holiday we were eating out a lot and whilst I enjoy restaurants (see all my reviews here!) there is something liberating about being in charge of the cooking and eating exactly what I want! Having holidayed in Italy this summer I had eaten more than my fair share of pasta, so on my return I was yearning for something a little more ‘British’. One of the first dishes I cooked was a family favourite –  ‘Pot Roast Chicken with Tarragon’ complete with roast potatoes (recipe here!) – it was instantly comforting and homely! September is a month that needs ‘family favourites’; it’s a ‘back to routine’ month which also cries out for easy, end-of-the-day recipes, so I’m sharing recipes that have recently become some of my family’s favourites and which won’t need too much attention!..

Menu One is ‘Three Mustard Chicken’. Despite being an easy recipe its flavours pack a punch so it makes a great ‘go-to’ recipe. Menu Two is ‘Roast Duck Legs with Melon and Blackberry Salad’. Using ‘end of summer’ fruit, it’s the perfect September recipe – duck legs are all too often overlooked but they are super simple to roast and very tasty! Finally, Menu Three is ‘Sumac and Chilli Spiced Rack of Lamb with Sweet Pomegranate Sauce’, admittedly it is not the most economical cut of meat for a mid-week supper but these lamb cutlets are a tasty treat and would also be good enough to serve at a dinner party! All they need is a good green salad on the side, but if you have the time and inclination they are particularly delicious with ‘Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah’; I shared this recipe some months ago as a vegetarian option and it complements this lamb dish particularly well!..

Next week I’ll be sharing a ‘Tuesday Treat’ – so if you have a sweet tooth don’t forget to check the website (or better still sign up at the bottom of this page to receive an email reminder!).

*Need some music to perk up your kitchen?.. I’ve been listening to this playlist recently ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Twenty Four‘, it’s got some old R&B favourites; it’s great to sing-a-long-to!

Menu One

Three Mustard Chicken (Serves 4)

This recipe is from Tom Kerridge’s cookbook ‘Real Life Recipes’, it’s his take on the French classic ‘Poulet a là Moutarde’. He uses three mustards, including hot English Mustard so the sauce really packs a punch. For a tasty supper simply serve with green beans and steamed new potatoes or mashed potatoes.

8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 banana shallots, finely sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

200ml dry white wine

400ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 teaspoons hot English mustard

150ml double cream

2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to a large saute pan over a medium heat, then add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook, without turning until the skin is a deep golden brown and very crispy – this will take about 15 minutes.
2. Turn the thighs over and cook for a further 5 minutes, then remove the chicken and set aside.
3. Increase the heat under the saute pan and add the shallots. Cook for 2 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring and scraping any sticky bits from the bottom. Let the wine bubble until reduced by half, then pour in the chicken stock.
4. Now stir in the three mustards and add the cream. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, placing it skin side up (the skin needs to be exposed above the sauce to ensure it remains crispy). Cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Taste the sauce to check the seasoning, then sprinkle over the chopped tarragon.
7. Serve the chicken in the creamy mustard sauce with green beans and steamed or mashed potatoes on the side.

Menu Two

Roast Duck, Melon and Blackberry Salad (Serves 4)

All too often duck legs are a cut of meat that are overlooked, but as Nigel Slater shows in this recipe, they are super easy to roast and are extremely tasty. This recipe makes a delicious, light supper.

125ml white or red wine

4 duck legs

A little olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

10 juniper berries

1 tablespoon sea salt

750g ripe melon

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

150g blackberries

1. First, make the herb rub. Put the thyme leaves and juniper berries in a mortar, add the sea salt and grind coarsely.
2. Place a wire rack over the top of a roasting tin, then put the duck legs on the rack. Moisten them with a little oil, then rub with the thyme and juniper salt.
3. Roast the duck in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 20 minutes, then remove briefly from the oven and pour the wine into the tin, then return to the oven. Lower the heat to 180’c and cook for a further 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the progress of the duck, topping up with a little more wine or stock as necessary.
4. Meanwhile, remove the peel and seeds from the melon then cut the flesh into thin slices and place on a serving dish.
5. Remove the duck from the oven, check for tenderness, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing the skin and flesh from the bones.
6. Make the dressing by placing the roasting tin over a moderate heat, pour in the red wine vinegar and stir, letting the dressing bubble, scraping the tin as you go. Toss the duck meat into the warm dressing then tuck the meat among the melon. Scatter over the blackberries and serve.

Menu Three

Sumac & Chilli Spiced Rack of Lamb with Sweet Pomegranate Sauce (Serves 4)

(Served with Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah)  

I first tasted this lamb at a friend’s house and I asked for the recipe straight away! It’s one of those recipes which has changed hands multiple times, so unfortunately I have failed to trace the cookbook it first appeared in, which is a shame as the author really does deserve a round of applause as it’s a fantastically simple recipe! All it needs is a good green salad on the side, but if you have the time and inclination it’s particularly delicious with ‘Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah’ (recipe below).

For the Lamb:

3 tablespoons crushed or ground sumac

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon mild chilli flakes or powder

2 lamb racks (6 cutlets each), French trimmed

4 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sauce:

150ml pomegranate molasses

50ml grenadine

50ml water

1. About an hour before cooking combine the sumac, cumin and chilli in a bowl and season. Arrange the lamb racks on a roasting tray and rub all over with the sumac mix. Drizzle with a little olive oil and allow to rest for an hour (or more) in the fridge
2. Roast the racks for 20 minutes in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 65-70’c). Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until you have a syrupy consistency and have reduced the liquid by half.
4. To serve, slice into cutlets and drizzle with the pomegranate sauce.

Staple Side Dish: Roasted Squash, Crispy Lentils, Pomegranate & Dukkah (Serves 4)

This is a fantastic recipe from Rukmini Iyer’s cookbook ‘A Roasting Tin Around The World’. Not only does it taste wonderful, but it looks beautiful with its jewel-like colours! It’s the perfect complement for ‘Sumac & Chilli Spiced Rack of Lamb ‘(above)!

600g butternut squash, cut into 1.5cm slices

1 red onion, cut into eighths

250g cherry tomatoes

1 x 400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

½ – 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (to taste)

2 tablespoons dukkah

A handful of pomegranate seeds

A handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped

Dressing:

100ml plain yogurt

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1. Tip the squash, onion and tomatoes into a roasting tin large enough to hold everything in one layer, then mix through the lentils, salt, pomegranate molasses, oil, garlic and chilli flakes. Transfer to a preheated oven, 180’c fan, roast for 45-50 minutes, until the squash is cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt and pomegranate molasses together, taste and season with a little salt as needed.
3. Drizzle the yogurt over the roasted veg, scatter over the dukkah, pomegranate seeds and mint and serve hot.