I went ‘cookbook shopping’ recently and I was filled with pleasure at seeing such a mix of flavours from all over the globe. It hit me that modern British cooking is all about multicultural flavours (we have a lot to thank immigration for!). When I look at my cookbooks, it’s interesting to see how our tastes have developed over the years. If I were to put them in chronological order, I would see my early cookbooks from the late ‘80s with Delia Smith at the helm. She is renowned for sharing the great British classics but she also introduced exotic flavours to British cooking; a quick flick through her ‘Summer Collection’ will give you a taste of the Mediterranean with a few Thai and Indian-inspired recipes thrown in. Moving on from the ’80s and into the early ‘90s, I notice a couple of cookbooks by Madur Jaffery; she was by now known for her Indian cookery books which tapped into the increasing hunger for the exotic – forget English ‘Coronation Chicken’ from the ’70s, she was revealing the secrets of real Indian recipes. As my eye reaches the late 90’s there’s Antonio Carluccio who was not only serving food on our high streets but among an influx of Italian cookbook writers influencing my kitchen. A little later, at the beginning of noughties, the taste of Southern Spain, highlighted by the team behind the London restaurant Moro, was on my dinner table and it wasn’t long after that I was enjoying an influx of Middle Eastern ‘flavoured’ cookbooks –  thanks to  Ottolenghi! And so it continues… my book shelves are increasingly overweight – ever hungry for the next new thing! In fact, one of my newest cookbooks is called ‘Mezcla’; with recipes which combine the flavours of Mexican, Italian and Brazilian cooking it’s truly multicultural!

I love looking back at these cookbooks from over the years, so many of their recipes work as well today as they did when first published. So, it’s no coincidence that this month I’ve taken recipes from a mix of books, old and new. Of course, I had to take a recipe or two from Delia Smith. So, Menu One and Two are from her ‘Summer Collection’; ‘Roasted Red Peppers’ and ‘Roasted Tomato Salad’ are Mediterranean inspired recipes which I have been cooking for more years than I wish to admit. Together, they would make a lovely light vegetarian supper simply served with some crusty bread to mop up their juices or they would make a great addition to any summer spread. Menu Three is a North African ‘Fish Tagine’ from the duo behind Moro. Taken from the cookbook, ‘Moro Easy’, it’s both simple to make and more importantly very tasty! Menu Four is from the aforementioned book, ‘Mezcla’ which celebrates the benefits of mixing cultures in our cooking – the author draws inspiration from her childhood which was spent in Mexico, Italy and Brazil!

Enjoy July and these wonderful recipes – they’ll complement any sunny day and cheer up the most miserable!…

Menu One

Roasted Tomato Salad (Serves 4)

This is a perfect summer salad. Make sure you serve it with lots of bread to mop up the wonderful sweet juices. It’s one of those recipes which is so simple but Oh so good!…

12 large tomatoes

12 large fresh basil leaves

2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To garnish:

Fresh basil leaves

24 black olives

1. Skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and leaving for 1 minute, then drain and slip off the skins. Cut each tomato in half and place the halves in a shallow roasting tin, cut side uppermost.
2. Season each tomato and sprinkle over with the chopped garlic. Finally, pour a few droplets of olive oil over each one and top each one with half a basil leaf, turning each piece of leaf over to get a coating of oil.
3. Place the roasting tin in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, and roast for 50mins-1hour or until the edges are slightly blackened.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Transfer to a serving plate.
5. To serve, whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together, and drizzle over the tomatoes. Finally, top each one with an olive and garnish with the basil leaves.

Menu Two

Roasted Red Peppers (Serves 4)

A wonderful classic Mediterranean recipe from Delia Smith’s ‘Summer Collection’ Cookbook. These peppers are incredibly good, they’re sweet yet with a salty edge; I’ve been cooking them for more years than I wish to admit!

4 large red peppers

4 medium tomatoes

8 tinned anchovy fillets, drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

8 dessertspoons olive oil

Freshly milled black pepper

A small bunch of basil

1. Half the peppers, removing the seeds but leaving the stalks intact. Lay the pepper halves on a lightly oiled roasting tray.
2. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour over boiling water, leave for 1 minute, then drain them and slip off the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place two quarters in each pepper half.
3. Snip one anchovy fillet per pepper half into rough pieces and add to the tomatoes. Divide the garlic slices equally among the tomatoes and anchovies and finally add a dessertspoon of olive oil to each pepper. And season with black pepper (not with salt as you have the anchovies!).
4. Place the tray in a preheated oven, 180’c, for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Transfer the cooked peppers to a serving plate with all the precious juices poured over, garnish with the basil leaves and serve warm.

Menu Three

Fish Tagine with Potatoes, Peas and Coriander (Serves 4)

This is a great one-pot dish from the team behind London’s Moro restaurant, it can be found in their cookbook, ‘Moro Easy’. The subtle spices lift this simple dish to higher realms; it makes a fantastic mid-week supper. I have doubled the sauce ingredients as I prefer the dish a little more ‘saucy’.

6 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle

4 banana shallots or 1 large red onion

4 garlic cloves

2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon rind (optional)

3 heaped teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

4 tablespoons finely chopped coriander, plus a few leaves to garnish

400g cherry tomatoes

400g small waxy new potatoes, e.g. Charlotte

400g frozen peas

4 fillets of firm white fish, e.g. sea bass, monkfish or cod

4 slices of lemon to serve

1. First of all slice the potatoes into very thin slices (0.5cm) – it is important that they are thin so that they cook all the way through.
2. Place all the rest of the ingredients, except the potatoes, peas and fish, into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer the processed ‘sauce’ to a wide, deep pan with a tight fitting lid and add the sliced potatoes. Place over a medium to high heat. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the peas, stir well (if the sauce seems a little thick, loosen it with a couple of tablespoons of water). Bring back to a simmer and place the fish on top, replace the lid and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
5. To serve, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle over the reserved coriander leaves and top with the lemon slices.

Menu Four

Chicken with Pineapple and Nudja (Serves 4)

What a wonderful combination of flavours there are in this recipe – sweet and savoury with a hint of spice! The recipe is from Ixta Belfrage’s cookbook ‘Mezcla’ in which she draws inspiration from her childhood which was spent in Mexico, Italy and Brazil, it’s a truly multicultural flavoured book – fantastic!

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed with the side of a knife

1 onion, halved and very thinly sliced

½ large, extra ripe pineapple, peeled (300g)

2 oranges, squeezed to get 100g juice

100g chicken stock

2 tablespoons double cream

5g fresh coriander

1 lime cut into wedges

For the Nudja and Chipotle paste:

50g nudja paste/ spread

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons tomato puree

½ teaspoon chipotle flakes

½ teaspoon paprika

¾ teaspoon fine salt

About 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper

1. Put all the ingredients for the nudja and chipotle paste in a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken, garlic and three-quarters of the sliced onion (save the rest to serve) and mix well so that everything is coated evenly. Tip the chicken, onions and garlic into a roasting tin, spreading out the chicken, skin side up on top of the onions and garlic (you will need the remnants of the paste in the bowl for the pineapple).
2. Cut the pineapple into 4 rounds and cut each round into quarters, removing the hard core (you should have about 300g). Add the pineapple to the bowl with the remnants of the paste, mix to coat with whatever is left in the bowl then add to the chicken.
3. Pour the orange juice around the chicken (don’t get the skin wet – you want it to crisp up!). Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the stock into the pan around the chicken (again don’t get the skin wet!). Return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and at the skin is brown and crispy. Now, if you have a blowtorch, you can char the pineapple a little (but no worries if not – it will still taste delicious!).
4. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle the cream into the sauce.
5. Toss the coriander with the remaining sliced onion and a little salt and olive oil and arrange on top. Serve straight from the pan with lime wedges alongside.

Eastern Standard (Serves 1)

We recently visited friends in their new house. We were extremely impressed by their new digs particularly when we discovered that they had set aside one room for a very grown up ‘bar’ – it was very ‘Soho House’!.. I was even more impressed when they served this cocktail!… Summer was made for it…

3 slices of cucumber

3 fresh mint leaves

50ml Gin

12.5ml lime juice

10ml sugar syrup

Handful of ice cubes

Garnish: 1 thin slice of cucumber

1. In the base of a cocktail shaker muddle the mint together with the cucumber slices.
2. Add the other ingredients and the ice, then shake until the mixture is well chilled, 15-20 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled glass and serve with a slice of cucmber.

Brown Sugar Pavlova with Strawberries and Rhubarb (Serve 6)

I adore Pavlova and this recipe for ‘Brown Sugar Pavlova’ is a new favourite. I discovered it just recently in Sally Clarke’s cookbook , ‘First Put on Your Apron’. The brown sugar gives the meringue a subtle caramel flavour and a sweetness that cuts the tart rhubarb beautifully. It doesn’t like to sit around, so assemble it at the last minute in order to keep the meringue as crisp as possible. Having said that, in the past I’ve keep the leftovers in the fridge and enjoyed them the following day; even if the meringue is a little ‘soggy’ it’s still delicious!..

4 egg whites

Pinch of salt

160g caster sugar

90g brown sugar

4 drops of vanilla essence

For the Rhubarb and Strawberry topping:

400g rhubarb stalks

1 orange, juiced

1 tablespoon caster sugar

400g strawberries

500g Double cream, stiffly whipped

Mint leaves to decorate

1. Using an electric whisk, whisk the whites with the salt until they are stiff. Add the caster sugar and whisk for a further minute or two until the meringue is glossy and very stiff. Carefully fold in the brown sugar and vanilla essence until smooth.
2. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, draw a circle, roughly 22cm in diameter – you can draw around a plate. Scoop the meringue mixture onto the circle, spreading it out to create a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.
3. Place in a preheated oven, 120’c fan, for 1 hour 10 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow to cool completely in the oven or overnight.
4. Meanwhile, trim the rhubarb and cut the stalks slightly at an angle into 2 cm lengths and place in a wide-based saucepan, ideally in one layer. Add the orange juice and caster sugar, cover with a lid and bring slowly to a simmer and cook until barely soft, approximately 3 minutes. Check often as you don’t want the rhubarb to overcook, you want it to be a little ‘al dente’ so that it keeps its shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool down in the covered pan.
5. About an hour before you are ready to serve the pavlova, hull the strawberries and cut each into 2 or 3 depending on the size and place in a bowl. Carefully pour over the cooled rhubarb and its juices. Do not mix the fruit together at this stage as the rhubarb is very delicate. Leave for up to an hour in the fridge to macerate.
6. To serve, spoon the whipped cream into the well of the pavlova and carefully arrange the rhubarb and strawberries, without the juices, on top and decorate with sprigs of mint. Serve the juices in a small jug to go alongside.

June is off to a good start – I’ve just returned from a gastronomic getaway that was truly inspiring!… Nick and I spent the long bank holiday weekend in the Lake District at L’Enclume. L’Enclume is one of only eight restaurants in the UK that hold three Michelin stars. I have been fortunate to eat at a few of these three-star restaurants which are close to home in London, but I must say the opportunity of staying the weekend at L’Enclume, gave us the chance to immerse ourselves in the full foodie experience and really appreciate the talent of 3-star chefs, it was a top treat! (I will be posting my full review soon – watch this space!..) I have hence returned home with lots of flavours spinning around my head and a revived attitude to cooking. Admittedly I will not be cooking to a Michelin star level, but I have been looking through my cookery books with a fresh eye. I am also keen to go shopping for some new cookbooks, yes, I know I have far too many already, but what can I say, it’s not the worst addiction I could have, is it?!.. I love any bookshop that has a good cookery section, one of my favourites is in Hatchards on Piccadilly. It’s tucked away on its second floor, one can easily while away an hour or two, undisturbed. I usually make sure I’m with Nick so I have someone to remind me I’ve outstayed my welcome – I send him off to nearby ‘Bury Brothers’ to peruse the wine (his weakness!) and arrange for him to come and collect me after an hour…

Visiting L’Enclume has reignited my desire to cook which is just as well as with all the bank holidays that we’ve been having in the UK over the past month my cooking routine has been rather spoilt. Fortunately, I had decided back in April which recipes I would be sharing this month, so everything is on track for Menu Mistress!…

Menu One is ‘Chicken Miso’ from Ottolenghi’s cookbook ‘Simple’, what’s not to like from a cookbook with a name like that? And yes, naturally this recipe for chicken thighs is super simple and perfect on a summer’s evening with a good green salad. Menu Two is actually from Delia Smiths ‘Winter Collection Cookbook’, yes I know it’s the summer(!), but trust me, this recipe is just as delicious alfresco as it is on a cold evening in the midst of winter! Finally, Menu Three is a vegetarian option from the team behind the London restaurant Moro. This recipe is from their original book, ‘Moro; The Cookbook’; perusing through it reminds me that I need to return soon to their restaurant in Exmouth Market to write a review! .. ‘Vegetable Turlu Turlu’ has Turkish origins, it’s rather like an exotically spiced ratatouille; served with a rocket salad and a yoghurt sauce it makes a delicious vegetarian supper alternatively, you could easily serve it as a side to grilled meat or fish.

I hope the weather in June will be kind to us and we’ll be able to eat at least one of these ‘menus’ al fresco! Remember to keep an eye out for my ‘l’Enclume’ restaurant review – in the meantime why not take a look at my reviews of other restaurants… here!

P.S. I’ve been listening to a new playlist in my kitchen which has an upbeat ’90s groove, perfect for that al fresco supper! (listen to ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Twenty-Four’ here!..)

Menu One

Chicken with Miso, Ginger and Lime (Serves 6)

As the photo suggests, this recipe is a lovely sticky, unctuous affair. Taken from Ottolenghi’s cookbook ‘Simple’, it’s super easy all it needs is a good green salad and some rice – simple!..

6 Chicken legs (skin and bone in), skin scored a few times

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2½ tablespoons mirin

2½ tablespoons maple syrup

2½ tablespoons soy sauce

80g white miso

4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (30g)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lime, skin shaved into fine strips then juiced

40g coriander stems cut into 6cm lengths (reserve the leaves for a garnish)

2 red chillies, sliced in half lengthways and deseeded

10 spring onions, 8 sliced in half lengthways and 2 finely chopped (to serve)

Sea salt

1. Place the chicken legs in a large bowl with the oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix together.
2. Place a large frying pan on a medium/high heat. Once hot add half the chicken legs, skin side down and sear for 4-5 minutes. Then remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken, discarding the fat as you go, and set aside.
3. Place the mirin, maple syrup, soy sauce, miso, ginger, garlic, lime strips and juice in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add the chicken and stir well so that everything is coated.
4. Put the coriander stems, chillies and 8 halved spring onions in to a high-sided baking dish and place the chicken on top, skin side up (along with any residue dressing). Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and turn the chicken legs over (skin side down) and return to the oven for 30 minutes uncovered, turning the legs back over halfway through (skin side up) and basting a couple of times. The chicken will be golden brown, sticky and tender and the chillies and spring onions will be soft.
6. To serve, place a chicken leg on each plate and surround it with coriander, chilli and halved spring onions. Finally, drizzle the with sauce and sprinkle over the finely sliced spring onions and garnish with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with sticky white rice and a good green salad.

Menu Two

Seared Spiced Salmon Steaks with Black Bean Salsa (Serves 4-6)

This recipe is from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Collection Cookbook’, but trust me, this recipe is just as delicious alfresco in the summer as it is on a cold evening in the midst of winter. It’s a year-round winner! (The original recipe uses dried black beans, but to save time I use tinned – so no overnight soaking!)

4-6 Salmon steaks

3 fat cloves garlic

2 level teaspoons rock salt

4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Grated zest of 2 limes (reserve the juice for the salsa)

A good pinch of ground cinnamon

A good pinch of ground cumin

15g pack fresh coriander leaves (reserve 6 sprigs and finely chop the remainder)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly milled black pepper

For the Salsa:

110g tinned black beans, rinsed and drained

350g ripe but firm tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

15g pack of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of 2 limes (reserved from the salmon recipe)

½ teaspoon salt

1. A few hours before you want to cook the salmon, crush the garlic cloves and rock salt together with a pestle and mortar until you have a creamy purée. Then add the grated ginger, lime zest, cinnamon and cumin, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped coriander and a good grind of black pepper. Mix everything together and spread a little of this mixture on each salmon steak. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for the flavours to develop and permeate the salmon.
2. To make the salsa simply combine the black beans with the chopped tomatoes, red onion, chilli, coriander, olive oil, lime juice and salt. Leave covered for a several hours to allow the flavours to develop.
3. When you’re ready to cook the salmon, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Brush a baking try with the olive oil and put it under the grill to heat up. When the grill is really hot, remove the baking tray and place the salmon steaks on it. Position the tray about 3 inches front the heat and grill them for 7 minutes exactly.
4. Remove them when the time is up and use a sharp knife to ease the skins off. Transfer to plates and garnish with the sprigs of coriander. Serve immediately with the black bean salsa.

Menu Three

Turlu Turlu with Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce (Serves 4)

Taken from the cookbook ‘Moro’, Turlu Turlu has Turkish origins and is rather like a spiced and exotically herbed ratatouille. The vegetables are roasted so are super sweet; it makes a delicious vegetarian main course served with a yoghurt & cumin sauce and a simple rocket salad.

500-600g courgettes, trimmed and cut into 2cm discs

1 aubergine, halved lengthways and each half cut into 4 wedges lengthways

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced

2 green peppers, halved, seeded and thickly sliced

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and each half cut into 3 lengthways

200g kohlrabi or turnips, cut into wedges about 2cm thick

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

60g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

150ml tomato passata

1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce:

200g Greek yoghurt

½ – 1 garlic clove

A good pinch of sea salt

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, roughly ground

1. For the yoghurt sauce: use a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic with the salt to form a paste, then stir in the yoghurt and roughly ground cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Put to one side.
2. In a large bowl toss the aubergine, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, kohlrabi (or turnips) and potatoes with the olive oil, allspice, coriander seeds and a little salt and pepper.
3. Spread out the vegetable mixture in a large roasting tray, no more than a layer deep and place in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 45 minutes turning every 15 minutes to encourage them to colour and caramelise all over. Now gently stir in the courgettes and cook for a further 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile heat up the chickpeas with the passata and check for seasoning. Finally, add to the vegetables along with the chopped herbs and stir well. Serve with the yoghurt sauce and a rocket salad.

Coupe de Roulis Cocktail (Serves 1)

This is an unusual French cocktail which has delicate, fruity flavours – a touch of cherry and a twist of orange. It’s particularly good on a warm spring or summer evening – very sophisticated and very drinkable!..

30ml gin

30ml dry vermouth

15ml Cointrieau

20ml Maraschino (cherry) liqueur

A dash of Angostura bitters

A handful of ice cubes

A orange twist

1. Combine the gin, vermouth, Cointreau, Maraschino liquer and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass (or a tall glass/ small jug). Add the ice cubes and stir well, until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass.
2. Hold the orange twist over the glass and squeeze the zest so that the oils spray into the drink, then drop it into the glass as a garnish.
3. Enjoy!