It’s probably an understatement to say that after all the excitement of Christmas and New Year, January can seem a little flat. But, it’s often February that I find more ‘testing’, just when I start to look forward to the end of January I realise that February is not going to get much better as it’s still cold and gloomy outside. So this year I’ve decided to start February off with a celebration to really kick-start it – with Valentine’s day just around the corner, I thought I’d show some old friends a little ‘love’ by inviting them over for cocktails and dinner. It’s not really a ‘Valentine’s dinner’, after all, it will be taking place at the beginning of the month, before the 14th; but call it what you will – a belated New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Dinner – the point is we’ll be enjoying a meal and raising a glass to each other which is a great start to any month! So with my February celebration in mind, this month’s recipes both reflect the need to impress loved ones and also for us, the cooks, to feel loved. You don’t want to be feeling frazzled in the kitchen – the best recipes are those that leave a good impression and leave you feeling just a little smug at how easy they are to cook. So whether you’re wanting a recipe for Valentine’s Day or an evening with friends, or simply for a family supper, I think that these recipes will impress…

Menu One is ‘Guinea Fowl with Cabbage and Grapes’, it’s a French take on sweet and sour – the cabbage is cooked with vinegar whilst the guinea fowl is roasted with sweet grapes. Not only is it delicious but very easy to make, the cabbage is cooked on the stove whilst the guinea fowl roasts for about 40 minutes. You could of course make this recipe with chicken joints, but I do think that guinea fowl gives the dish a little more depth, as it has a slightly gamey flavour. Menu Two is ‘Roast Duck Breasts with Sour Cherry Sauce’, the original recipe, from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Cookbook’, calls for a whole duck to be roasted which can be a bit of a faff, fortunately the sauce works just as well with roasted duck breasts! Menu Three is ‘Simple Paella’, this is what Donna Hay calls her ‘cheat’s version of paella’, but despite taking next to no time to cook it is extremely tasty and will definitely impress both family and friends! It’s wonderful fresh flavours will put a tantalizing taste of warmer days on your plate (yes, I know, it’s only February!… ). Finally, Menu Four is ‘Casserole of Vegetables with Pears and Ceps’; the sweet flavour of the pears lift this simple casserole to higher realms – making it a really special vegetarian choice.

Menu One

Guinea Fowl with Cabbage and Grapes (Serves 4)

This recipe is a French take on sweet and sour – the cabbage is cooked with sugar and vinegar whilst the guinea fowl is roasted with sweet grapes. Not only is it delicious but very easy to make, the cabbage is cooked on the stove whilst the guinea fowl roasts for about 40 minutes. You could of course make this recipe with chicken joints, but I do think that guinea fowl gives the dish a little more depth, as it has a slightly gamey flavour. Serve with boiled new potatoes.

2 guinea fowls, each jointed into 4 pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

60g butter

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 large Savoy cabbage

2 tablespoons caster sugar

50ml white wine vinegar

350ml chicken stock

Small bunch of sweet, seedless grapes (I like ‘Sable black grapes’)

Few sprigs fresh thyme

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove and discard the core, then shred the leaves.
2. Put half the oil and 30g of the butter in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the chopped onion, stir for 5-8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cabbage, half the sugar and all of the vinegar, stir and season. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, over a moderate heat. Reserve in the pan.
3. Meanwhile, put the rest of the oil and 15g of the butter in a large frying pan, over a medium to high heat. Add half the guinea fowl pieces and fry for about 5 minutes until coloured, turn over, season and sprinkle with half the remaining sugar, continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove and transfer to a roasting tin. Repeat with the remaining guinea fowl.
4. Pour the stock into the frying pan. Turn up the heat, bring to the boil, stirring. Add the remaining butter, boil for another minute then pour over the guinea fowl and scatter over the grapes and thyme. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 35-40 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door and allow the guinea fowl to settle whilst you reheat the cabbage.
5. Serve the joints of guinea fowl and their juices on a bed of cabbage with the grapes scattered over.

Menu Two

Roast Duck Breasts with Sour Cherry Sauce (Serves 4)

This is one of those recipes which shouts ‘impressive’ yet is incredibly easy to cook. The original recipe, from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Cookbook’, calls for a whole duck to be roasted which can be a bit of a faff, fortunately the sauce works just as well with roasted duck breasts!… I like to serve the duck quite pink, but if you prefer them more well done cook for a little longer. This recipe is delicious with ‘Concetta’s potatoes’ and ‘Buttered Savoy Cabbage’ or ‘Stir Fried Swiss Chard’ (recipes here)

4 duck breasts

5 tablespoons of Morello cherry jam (with a high fruit content)

40g dried sour cherries

425ml red wine

Sea salt and black pepper

½ teaspoon cornflour (optional)

Watercress to garnish (optional)

1. Measure the wine into a small saucepan and add the cherries to pre-soak, leave to one side.
2. Score the skin of the duck breasts, through the fat but not all the way through to the flesh, and salt them.
3. Place the breasts in a dry frying pan, skin side down, over a low heat to render down most of the fat, this may take as much as 10-15 minutes. When the fat is rendered, turn up the heat to crisp up and brown the skin (about 2 minutes). Finally, turn over to sear the underside for minute or so.
4. Place the duck breasts on a baking tray. Pass 1 tablespoon of the jam through a sieve and brush it all over the skin of each duck breast as a glaze. Then place the duck breasts in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 8-10 minutes (see note above). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Whilst the duck is resting, put the saucepan with the wine and sour cherries over a medium/high heat and let it bubble and reduce to about two-thirds of its original volume, then add the remaining 4 tablespoons of jam and season with salt and pepper. Whisk and allow to bubble and reduce for another 2 minutes (if you prefer a thicker sauce whisk in a little cornflour).
6. To serve, slice the breasts and spoon some of the sauce over each portion. Garnish with watercress (if using).

Menu Three

Simple Paella (Serves 4)

This recipe is what Donna Hay, in her cookbook ‘Simple Dinners’, calls her ‘cheat’s version of paella’, despite taking next to no time to cook it is extremely tasty and will definitely impress both family and friends!…

1 red onion, sliced

½-1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes (depending on your tastebuds)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 chorizo sausages, sliced

4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, chopped into bitesize pieces

250g short-grain paella rice

1 litre chicken stock

12 raw king prawns, peeled

25g coriander, leaves picked

250g cherry tomatoes, quartered

Lemon wedges to serve

1. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion, chilli, paprika and chorizo and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden.
2. Add the chicken, cook, turning, for 3 minutes or until sealed.
3. Add the rice and stir until coated with the oil. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is tender.
5. Divide between the plates and top with the tomatoes and coriander and serve with a lemon wedge.

Menu Four

Casserole of Vegetable with Pears and Ceps (Serves 4)

This casserole may lack meat but believe me it will please the most ardent meat-lover. The sweet flavour of the pears lift this simple casserole to higher realms – making it a really special vegetarian choice! The recipe is from Daniel Galmiche’s cookbook ‘French Countryside Cooking’.

80g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

200g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

200g swede, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

2 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges

2 large shallots, cut into thick rings

40g dried ceps or porcini

2 thyme sprigs

200g celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

200g butternut squash cut into 2cm chunks

4 small new potatoes, scrubbed and each cut into three pieces

125ml Vegetable stock

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the ceps (or porcini) in a small bowl, add 150ml of warm water and leave to one side to soak.
2. Heat 20g of the butter with the sunflower oil in a casserole dish over a medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming add the carrots. Turn down the heat, partially cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots just start to soften around the edges but do not colour. Add the swede, cover again and cook for a further 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 20g butter in a frying pan. When foaming add the shallots and pears and cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender and starting to caramelize.
4. Using a slotted spoon remove the ceps (or porcini) from the soaking water, put on a paper towel and pat dry. Strain and reserve the soaking water.
5. Add the ceps (or porcini) to the pan with the pears and shallots, then stir in the thyme and sauté for a further 3-4 minutes over a medium heat until the ceps have softened. Leave to one side.
6. Add another 20g of butter to the casserole along with the celeriac and garlic. Partially cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the butternut squash and potatoes and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the remaining butter, stock and reserved soaking water. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the liquid has reduced enough to just coat the vegetables – do this quickly so that the vegetables don’t overcook.
7. Remove the casserole from the heat and add the reserved pear mixture and chopped parsley, stir gently to combine and heat through. Serve straightaway.

Manhattan Cocktail (Serves 1)

I thought I’d start the new year with a classic cocktail, The Manhattan is a real treat for bourbon whiskey lovers. I particularly love the maraschino cherry garnish which gives you an additional sweet treat! If you’re currently keeping to a ‘dry January’, please don’t let me tempt you into breaking your resolution(!) – this Manhattan would be a great way to celebrate February 1st!…

60ml bourbon (I like Makers Mark)

30ml sweet red vermouth

3 dashes of Angostura bitters

A handful of ice cubes

1 Maraschino cherry

1. Combine the bourbon, vermouth and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass (or a tall glass/ small jug). Add the ice cubes and stir well, until chilled.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Lasagne (Serves 4)

Have you got the January blues?… Yes, I know it’s pretty dismal out there, but I have the perfect remedy… Lasagne! I first shared this recipe in November 2020, if you haven’t already tried it you must do now! It is in my opinion the best recipe for lasagne, it has exactly the right balance of flavours – all too often lasagne can be too cheesy. It’s a recipe from Gordon Ramsay which I found online many years ago. As I am gluten free I make it with gluten-free lasagne sheets, my gluten-loving husband, Nick, doesn’t even notice! Of course, you can make it with or without gluten, either way it’s great served with a simple green salad dressed with a classic vinaigrette (recipe here).

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large carrot

1 half of a large onion

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

2 pinches dried oregano

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

300g minced beef

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 tablespoons red wine

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

50ml milk

6 ‘ready to bake’ lasagne sheets (gluten free if required)

Sea salt and black pepper

For the sauce:

25g unsalted butter

25g plain flour

300ml milk

Pinch ground nutmeg

60g cheddar cheese, grated

30g parmesan cheese, grated

A rectangular baking dish approx. 30cm x 20cm

1. Peel and grate the carrot and onion. Crush the garlic cloves.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, gently fry the carrot, onion and garlic adding the bay leaf, pinches of oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper.
3. When the onion has softened make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the mince. Stir well to break up the meat.
4. Add the tomato purée. Continue to cook until the meat is browned.
5. Add the wine, cook off the alcohol before adding the tomatoes, simmer for 2-3 minutes
6. Add the milk and remove from the heat – leave to one side whilst you make the sauce.
7. To make the sauce, melt the butter in saucepan, add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Over a gentle heat gradually add a third of the milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Then whisk in the remaining milk, season with the pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper, then cook for a further minute or so before adding the cheddar cheese, stir until smooth.
8. Spoon half the meat into the baking dish place three of the pasta sheets on top – do not overlap them, then pour over half the cheese sauce. Repeat with another layer of meat, then pasta sheets and finally the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the parmesan cheese and a light seasoning of salt and pepper.
9. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 20-25 minutes.
10. Serve with a green salad dressed with a classic vinaigrette (recipe here)

Brown Butter Blondies

I’ve never been completely sold on ‘blondies’ (‘brownies’ which are made with vanilla instead of cocoa). On the first bite my taste buds cry out ‘but where’s the chocolate?!’… But, on tasting this recipe from cookbook writer Nina Parker, I changed my mind! The brown butter really gives a wonderful depth to the blondie’s vanilla flavour plus they do have some chocolate chips! They are very moreish, particularly if you try one warm, straight from the oven – you have been warned…

250g unsalted butter

240g muscovado brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

140g plain flour (gluten free if required)

120g ground almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I use Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate)

*8-inch square tin, lined with baking paper

1. To make the brown butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan on a medium to high heat. As the butter melts and begins to bubble move it around the pan and continue to cook until the butter starts to darken a little and you smell a hazelnut aroma – it will take around 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
2. In a bowl mix together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and sea salt, put to one side.
3. In another bowl combine well the muscovado sugar, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Slowly add this mixture to the cooled brown butter and mix to form a smooth, silky batter.
4. Finally, stir in the flour mixure and mix until everything is incorporated. Transfer to the lined baking tin and sprinkle over the chopped chocolate. Bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 35 minutes, until a skin has formed on top but the inside will still be gooey – it will firm up as it cools.
5. Allow to cool in the tin (if you can resist!) before slicing into squares. Enjoy!

I’ve been feeling rather nostalgic lately. The start of the new year has brought memories from the past, plus with my son, Felix, recently flying the nest I’ve been overwhelmed by sentimental feelings; a mix of hope for the future yet also a longing for the past – where did my toddler go?!… Hence my kitchen has been filled with memories. I’ve been cooking up some old dishes (in a very modern way!) to the sounds of my childhood; a seventies soundtrack – a bit of Bowie with a taste of Abba thrown in! What better way to welcome in January than with some old classic dishes…

Menu One is ‘Coq au Riesling’, the classic of the classic dishes; a creamy take on ‘Coq au Vin’. A dish that not only exudes nostalgia but also comfort with its winey, creamy sauce. I favour Nigel Slaters’ recipe from his cookbook ‘Real Food’, the flavours are perfectly balanced and it’s relatively quick and easy to make. It deserves to be served with some smooth mashed potatoes, but it’s pretty good with just a green salad if you’re feeling virtuous! Menu Two is another chicken dish ‘Baked Chicken and Chorizo’. It’s a recipe which my friend introduced me to, it’s her ‘old classic’ family recipe, one which is good enough to be served to both family and friends; it’s been known to turn up on her ‘dinner-party table’. It’s been appearing on our supper table lately so I thought that it was time to share it with you! Menu Three is ‘Spiced Sausage Ragu’, another classic but with a modern spicy punch – a good recipe on a cold, winter’s day. Finally, Menu Four is perhaps the ultimate vegetarian classic, ‘Macaroni Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes’. I remember my mum making macaroni cheese back in the seventies, I wasn’t keen on it in those days as according to my fussy, childish taste buds it was too cheesy – perhaps if my mum had followed this recipe with cherry tomatoes I would have been asking for seconds (although in her defence, cherry tomatoes weren’t a thing you could easily find on the shelves of a seventies grocery shop!). Not only is this a fabulous version of macaroni cheese due to the sweet addition of roasted tomatoes but it’s hassle-free; instead of making a cheese sauce from scratch it calls for mascarpone cheese simply combined with Emmental cheese – so easy!…

So with these recipes shared the only thing I must do is wish you all “A Very Happy New Year”!!…

(If, like me, you’re feeling nostalgic, you’ll love my new playlist!… Click here to listen to ‘Music to Cook to…Menu Music Twenty Two’)

Menu One

Coq au Riesling (Serves 4)

This is the classic of classic dishes; a creamy take on ‘Coq au Vin’. A dish that not only exudes nostalgia but also comfort with its winey, creamy sauce. This particular recipe is from Nigel Slater’s cookbook ‘Real Food’, I’ve slightly adapted it to serve four. The flavours are perfectly balanced and it’s relatively quick and easy to make. It deserves to be served with some smooth mashed potatoes, but it’s pretty good with just a crisp green salad if you’re feeling virtuous!

50g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

150g pancetta or streaky bacon, diced

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

8 chicken thighs

250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered

500ml medium-dry wine, such as Reisling

250ml double cream

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a casserole and add the olive oil. Fry the diced pancetta (or streaky bacon), when it’s browned add the onions and garlic. Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not coloured, then scoop everything out of the pan with a slotted spoon and keep to one side.
2. Add the chicken thighs to the casserole, let them brown well on all sides, add more oil if needed. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.
3. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then return the pancetta, onions, garlic and chicken thighs. Turn up the heat, pour in the wine and bring quickly to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook gently for 25 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.
4. Lift out the chicken from the pan and pour in the cream. Continue to cook until the cream starts to thicken slightly. Season with salt and black pepper and stir in the parsley.
5. Return the chicken to the pan and reheat before serving.

Menu Two

Chorizo and Chilli Chicken (Serves 4)

This is a recipe which my friend introduced me to, it’s her ‘old classic’ family recipe, one which is good enough to be served to both family and friends; it’s been known to turn up on her ‘dinner-party table’…

8 chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

225g chorizo, sliced (about thickness of a pound coin)

400g tinned tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 red onions, cut into wedges

2 red peppers, roughly diced

2 handfuls whole black olives

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken, skin-side down until browned, then turn over and quickly brown the underside. Remove from the pan and place in a roasting tin.
2. Add the chorizo slices to the frying pan, fry for about 5 minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes along with the tomato paste, chilli flakes, Worcestershire sauce and onion wedges. Season with salt and pepper, stir and bring to the boil.
3. Pour over the chicken and gently mix, making sure that the chicken thighs are left skin-side up. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and gently stir through the diced red peppers and black olives, then return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.
5. Finally, stir through the parsley before serving.

Menu Three

Spiced Sausage Ragu with Rigatoni (Serves 4)

You can never have enough sausage ragu recipes, this variation has a subtle spicy kick. It’s great on a cold winters evening!

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (or more to taste)

2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon brown sugar

6 pork sausages (gluten free if required)

150ml whole milk

1 lemon, zested

350g rigatoni pasta (gluten free if required)

½ bunch parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Grated parmesan to serve

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion with a pinch of salt for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and rosemary, then cook for a further minute. Add the tomatoes and sugar and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile remove the casings from the sausages and mash up the meat. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes until browned.
3. Add the sausage to the sauce together with the lemon zest and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente, according to the packet instructions.
5. Toss the drained pasta through the sauce. Scatter over the parsley and serve sprinkled with parmesan.

Menu Four

Macaroni Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes (Serves 4)

I remember my mum making macaroni cheese back in the seventies, I wasn’t keen on it in those days as according to my fussy, childish taste buds it was too cheesy – perhaps if my mum had followed this recipe with cherry tomatoes I would have been asking for seconds (although in her defence, cherry tomatoes weren’t a thing you could easily find on the shelves of a seventies grocery shop!). Not only is this a fabulous version of macaroni cheese due to the sweet addition of roasted tomatoes but it’s hassle-free; instead of making a cheese sauce from scratch it calls for mascarpone cheese simply combined with Emmental cheese – so easy!…

250g cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

350g macaroni (gluten free if required)

250g mascarpone cheese

300g Emmental cheese, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the cherry tomatoes in a 2 litre ovenproof dish. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and the skins have slightly split.
2. Meanwhile cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the packet instructions.
3. In a bowl, combine the mascarpone, emmental and mustard, stirring until evenly blended.
4. Drain the pasta and stir in the cheese mixture, then gently fold in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Tip the mixture into the ovenproof dish used for the tomatoes. Bake in the preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.