Is it really possible that it’s three years since my son, Felix, started University and that this month he’ll be graduating?… It only seems like yesterday when we were anxiously leaving our only child at the University of York! We will be celebrating the end of his university journey in the same way we started it; the night before his first day we enjoyed a meal at York’s ‘Meltons’, since then we have returned to this restaurant whenever we have had the opportunity (review here!). As always, food will be central to our celebration! Food has also been central to my many conversations with Felix during his ‘Uni’ years, as, like a lot of mothers, I like to check that he’s eating well! In fact, when he left home for Uni I gave him a ‘recipe file’, which had several family favourites that were easy and economical for him to make – most of these recipes later ended up on my MenuMistress@Uni pages (here!). Just the other day, after speaking with my Dad on the telephone, I realised that once again, food was central to the conversation; he always asks me what I’m cooking and we usually discuss his lunch. Perhaps it’s a family thing, but it does seem that my life revolves around other peoples stomachs!…

During the course of the month not only am I thinking about what my family is eating but also about the recipes that I can share with you!… This month I’ve been thinking of summery dishes, so not surprisingly I’ve taken recipes from cookbooks that are inspired by countries with warmer climes; Spain, Italy, Croatia and Thailand. Menu One is ‘Cod with Tahini Sauce and Chickpea Salad’ from the cookbook by the Spanish restaurant, Moro. Their cooking encapsulates the blend of Arabic and Hispanic flavours found in Spanish food. This recipe with Tahini sauce has Lebanese overtones, it’s wonderfully fresh, and perfect for summer evenings. Menu Two is ‘Linguine with Red Mullet, Capers & Lemon’, in this recipe Angela Hartnett draws from her Italian roots to create a wonderful light pasta dish which is full of flavour. Menu Three is ‘Walnut-Crusted Pork Chops with Figs’, I found this unusual recipe in Rick Stein’s cookbook from ‘Venice to Istanbul’, the fig and walnut pan-sauce is delicious! Finally, a vegetarian option from Thailand, courtesy of Meera Sodha’s cookbook, ‘East’. This ‘Vegetable Thai Green Curry’ perfectly balances the flavours of fresh green chilli and sweet coconut – pure comfort whatever the weather!

Menu One

Cod with Tahini Sauce and Chickpea Salad (Serves 4)

This is a classic Lebanese recipe from the ‘Moro Cookbook’ by Sam Clark.  It’s a wonderfully fresh tasting dish – don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients, believe me, it is super easy to make!

4 thick cod fillets, skin on, about 200g each in weight (or another white fish)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1 small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)

1 lemon, quartered

Tahini Sauce:

2 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons light tahini paste

Juice of 1 lemon

3-5 tablespoons water

Sea salt and black pepper

Chickpea Salad:

2 x 400g tins cooked chickpeas

1 clove garlic

1 large green chilli, finally chopped

½ red onion, finely diced

A squeeze of lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely diced

10 cherry tomatoes, halved, seeded and finally diced

1 bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. First of all make the Chickpea Salad; crush the garlic with a pinch of salt to form a paste, then put it into a bowl with the chilli, onion, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Stir well, then add the rest of the ingredients – the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, mint and coriander. Taste for seasoning and chill (for a fresher taste) until needed.
2.  For the Tahini Sauce; crush the garlic cloves to a paste with a good pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Whisk in the tahini, then thin with the lemon juice and finally add a little water until you have the consistency of double cream. Season to taste and set aside until needed.
3. To cook the cod, place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Season the cod and place it in the pan, skin side up and cook for about 5 minutes. Then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile put the tahini sauce in a small saucepan and gently bring to a simmer for a minute or so until it has slightly thickened.
5. To serve, place the fish on plates, spoon over the tahini sauce and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds. Serve with the chickpea salad and a wedge of lemon on the side.

Menu Two

Linguine with Red Mullet, Capers and Lemon (Serves 4)

This is the type of pasta dish that cooks in minutes but really impresses. It has lovely fresh flavours, which you will remember long after eating it!…

400g linguine (gluten-free if required)

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 x 70g red mullet fillets, each cut into 5 thin strips

½ red chilli, seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

25g capers

150ml white wine

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Small handful basil leaves, torn

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Cook the linguine according to the packet instructions until al dente.
2. Meanwhile add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and quickly fry the fish over a medium-high heat for a minute or two until just cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add a further tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the chilli and garlic for a couple of minutes. Then add the capers and white wine, allow to bubble away for 2- 3 minutes before returning the fish to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain the linguine and add to the mullet. Sprinkle over the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice to taste – you probably will not need all of it. Finally toss in the herbs. Serve immediately!

Menu Three

Walnut-Crusted Pork Chops with Figs (Serves 6)

This is an unusual dish from Rick Steins cookbook ‘From Venice to Istanbul’, this particular recipe originates from Croatia. Not only are the chops crusted with walnuts tasty, but the buttery fig sauce is delicious!…

6 large thick-cut pork chops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

100g walnuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

40g butter, softened

125ml white wine

200g dried figs, finely chopped

125ml chicken stock

To finish:

30 g butter

1 tablespoon parsley, roughly chopped

Juice ½ lemon

1. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and score the flesh with a sharp knife. In a shallow roasting tine mix the cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts, add the olive oil to make a paste and roll the chops in the nut mixture, pushing the crumb into the flesh.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and brown the chops two at a time, being careful not to burnt he walnuts. This will take a few minutes each side. Then return all the chops to the pan, cover with a lid and cook over a low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the pork chops to a warmed plated and cover with foil to keep them warm. Deglaze the pan with white wine, reduce by half, then add the chopped figs and chicken stock and season to taste. Finally, whisk in the butter, parsley and lemon juice.
4. Serve the pork chops with the sauce spooned over.

Menu Four

Vegetable Thai Green Curry (Serves 4)

There are numerous versions of this popular curry, but I’ve been particularly impressed by this recipe from Meera Sodha’s cookbook ‘East’ – do try it! It perfectly balances the flavours of fresh green chilli and sweet coconut – pure comfort whatever the weather!

Although this is a vegetarian recipe feel free to throw in some chopped chicken breast or some prawns towards the end of cooking!…

For the paste:

4 green finger chillies, roughly chopped

3 lemongrass sticks, tough leaves discarded , roughly chopped

4 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1½ tablespoons galangal paste, drained

2cm ginger, peeled and chopped

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

8 kaffir lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Rapeseed oil

For the curry:

2 medium aubergine (600g), cut into 2cm cubes

2 courgettes (400g), cut into 2cm cubes

400ml tin coconut milk

1½ teaspoon sugar

100g broccoli, cut into small florets

100g mangetout

To serve: Steamed Jasmine rice

1. Put all the paste ingredients into a blender with 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend until as smooth as possible (adding more oil or water if necessary).
2. Over a medium-high heat put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan (which has a lid) and when hot, add the aubergines in a single layer (you may need to fry them in a couple of batches). Fry for 8 minutes, turning often, until tender and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Drizzle more oil into the hot pan and cook the courgettes for 4 minutes, again, turning often, until almost tender and lightly browned. Transfer to another plate.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and when hot add the paste stir-fry for 4 minutes, then slowly add the coconut milk and 200ml of water, and mix. When the milk starts to bubble add the sugar, cooked vegetables, broccoli and mangetout. Simmer for 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Serve in bowls with steamed Jasmine rice alongside.

Old Cuban Cocktail (Serves 1)

This cocktail is a fantastic twist on the classic Mojito. With the addition of Prosecco it has a lighter, more elegant finish. Perfect on a summer evening…

25ml sugar syrup

½ a lime, juiced

70ml dark rum, such as Havana

1 sprig fresh mint, leaves picked

Angostura bitters

A handful of ice cubes

50ml Prosecco

1. Place the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker and lightly bash with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the sugar syrup, lime juice, rum and a couple of dashes of Angostura bitters plus the ice cubes. Shake for about 15 seconds until the shaker is cold.
2. Strain into a chilled glass and top with the Prosecco… Enjoy!

Pan Fried Plaice with Shrimp & Lemon Butter Sauce served with Samphire (Serves 4)

As it’s the season for samphire, I thought it would be a good idea to re-share this recipe – it’s one of my favourite simple fish dishes. It’s delicious with or without the samphire, but if you can get it, it will add a subtle salty flavour which complements the lemon butter sauce beautifully.

100g unsalted butter

2 lemons, juiced and zest finely grated

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large plaice fillets, skinned

180g brown shrimps

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

80g Samphire (optional)

Sea salt and black pepper

1. First prepare the sauce. Place the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, then cook until the butter starts to turn to a nutty brown colour. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Season the plaice fillets with salt only and add to the pan, cook for 1½-2 minutes on each side. (You will probably have to cook the fish in batches, adding a little more oil to the pan, keeping the fish warm whilst you cook the second batch).
3. Meanwhile place the samphire in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 2-3 minutes, drain and set aside.
4. At the same time add the shrimps to the lemon butter sauce and reheat gently until the sauce is boiling, boil for 1 minute, remove from the heat and add the parsley.
5. Place the plaice fillets on plates, sprinkle over the cooked samphire and spoon over the shrimp and lemon butter sauce. Serve simply with some steamed new potatoes.

Lemon Angel Pie

This is the most delicious dessert ever!… Ok, I admit that I’ve said this before about numerous other desserts, but seriously you ‘must’ make this, it really is a little piece of heaven! It has the wonderful flavours of its better-known relation, ‘Lemon Meringue Pie’, but is much lighter as it has no pastry thus is also much easier to make, plus of course, it’s totally gluten-free. Be warned, it’s not the prettiest of desserts – you’ll be rather dismayed when minutes after removing the meringue base from the oven it starts to sink and crack, but fear not, once you add the lemon curd and cream you cover a lot of these undesirable looking cracks. The important thing is that it tastes incredibly good!…

(I’ve found that the size of the dish really does make a difference with this recipe, use a 9” round deep pie dish – I use one which is available from amazon here)

200g caster sugar

4 eggs, separated

¼ teaspoon white wine vinegar

Butter to grease dish

For the Filling:

100g caster sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Grated zest of 1 lemon

¼ teaspoon salt

500ml double cream

To Serve:

Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

(9” round, deep pie dish – buttered)

1. Beat the egg whites until white and fluffy. Add the sugar and white wine vinegar and beat until stiff and glossy.
2. Pour into a buttered pie dish, using the back of a spoon push the meringue up the sides of the dish so it looks a little like a pastry case and will hold the filling after it’s baked.
3. Bake in a preheated oven, 150’c, for 50 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool – don’t be dismayed when the meringue sinks and starts to crack, the filling will cover the multitude of sins!
4. Meanwhile, make the lemon curd by placing the egg yolks in a bowl and beating lightly. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon zest and salt. Then put the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t allow the base of the bowl to touch the water) and continue to stir until thickened into a ‘curd’, this can take up to 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
5. Whip the cream until stiff.
6. Gently fold the lemon curd into half of the whipped cream, pour this lemon curd mixture into the meringue pie shell. Top the pie with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with the grated lemon zest.
7. Chill in the fridge before serving – serve cold.

June or should I say ‘Jubilee Month’, as of course, in the UK, we are starting the month with an extended weekend to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Queen will officially be the first British monarch to serve for seventy years – quite a feat. And of course, it gives us all the chance to have a few extra days off! This is particularly good for my family as it also happens to be my Dad’s Ninetieth birthday, which will be another feat that I shall be celebrating!

To celebrate the Jubilee, the street on which I live will be having a Street Party, it will be a relaxed affair with neighbours bringing along their own dishes to eat as a picnic at long tables along the road. Naturally, I have been thinking of a dish that I can bring along which is hands-off; one which will sit in a warm oven happily, whilst we enjoy a few aperitifs with neighbours before we all sit down. I have been thinking of serving ‘Lemon Chilli Chicken’, a recipe that I first shared back in 2020 and then again last month as a ‘Blast from the Past’ recipe, it’s as good straight from the oven as it is at room temperature and only needs a crisp green salad on the side (I really don’t want you to forget this recipe!). The other dish I’ve been contemplating is a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi for ‘Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts and Honey’ ; Felix particularly likes this dish so that may end up swinging the vote! Consequently, this Ottolenghi recipe is this month’s Menu One. It’s not only easy to make but looks stunning and has a delicate and exotic combination of flavours (rosewater, saffron and cinnamon), I like to serve it with rice and a simple salad. Menu Two, ‘Prawn and Mango Curry’, is another recipe that Felix favours, it’s a very mild curry made with coconut milk, I’ve found that it’s popular with adults and children alike. Menu Three, ‘Rigatoni with Artichoke and Pancetta’, is a lovely light pasta dish which is made with preserved artichokes so is both quick to prepare and cook. Finally, a vegetarian recipe, an old classic from Delia Smith and one which you can’t beat! ‘Vegetarian Moussaka’ is a lovely dish for the warmer summer evenings, which I’m hoping we’ll be enjoying in June…

Thinking about those warmer summer evenings, I’ve been feeling rather relaxed and have been listening to some smooth, chilled tracks in my kitchen… you can listen to ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Nineteen’ here!

Menu One

Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts and Honey (Serves 4)

This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi’s first book, ‘Ottolenghi: the Cookbook’. As he says himself, ‘it is so easy to make, yet looks stunning and has the most delicate and exotic combination of flavours (rosewater, saffron and cinnamon)’. It really is a winning dish and is one of my family favourites! You can either make it with a whole chicken or, as I prefer, with chicken thighs. Serve with rice or couscous.

1 large chicken divided into quarters or 8 chicken thighs

2 onions, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

A generous pinch of saffron strands

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons cold water

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

1 teaspoon black pepper

100g unskinned hazelnuts

70g honey

2 tablespoons rosewater

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

1. In a large bowl mix the chicken pieces with the onions, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
2. Spread the hazelnuts out on an oven tray and roast in a preheated oven, 190’c, for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Chop roughly and set aside.
3. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a roasting tray. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
4. While the chicken is roasting mix the honey, rosewater and nuts together to make a rough paste.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon a generous amount of the nut paste onto each piece and spread it to cover. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the nuts are golden brown.
6. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped spring onions.

Menu Two

Prawn & Mango Curry (Serves 4)

This is a very mild curry made with coconut milk, I’ve found that it’s popular with adults and children alike.  It’s an extremely easy recipe from Angela Hartnett’s cookbook ‘A Taste of Home’. It is certainly home cooking at its best – it will be on the table in less than 30 minutes!

2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk

800g raw prawns, shelled and deveined (defrosted if frozen)

1 mango, flesh diced

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

2 tablespoons chopped Thai basil

For the curry paste:

2 red chillies, seeded, roughly chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

2 lemon grass stems, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1. Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and boil until it is reduced by half.
2. Put the curry paste ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth.
3. Add the paste and prawns to the pan of reduced coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until the prawns are cooked then add the mango, followed by the chopped coriander and Thai basil. Serve with rice.

Menu Three

Rigatoni with Artichokes and Pancetta (Serves 4)

This is a lovely light pasta dish. I use preserved artichokes, but you could of course use fresh globe artichokes, just prepare them and cook for 20 minutes in boiling water before using in the sauce.

400g rigatoni (gluten-free if required)

6 tablespoons olive oil

100g diced pancetta

½ onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

300g artichokes in olive oil, drained and sliced into quarters (or fresh artichokes – see note above)

1 lemon grated and juiced

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and some salt and fry for 2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes. Reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the artichokes and lemon zest and cook for a further 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente, according to the packet instructions.
4. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, then toss through the lemon juice to taste – you may only need ½ of the lemon. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley, some Parmesan cheese, and a good grind of black pepper. Serve.

Menu Four

Vegetarian Moussaka with Ricotta Topping (Serves 4-6)

This is such a good vegetarian recipe! It’s from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Collection’ cookbook. Yes, I know it’s June, but I think that this recipe is good whatever the season – I know from experience that it is perfect on a summers day with a crunchy green salad!… In the original recipe the aubergines are purged (salted) before cooking, I don’t do this as having read that these days due to the varieties of aubergines being less bitter there is no need, I am inclined to agree and of course, it saves time.

2 aubergines, chopped into 1 cm dice

275ml vegetable stock

50g Puy lentils

50g green lentils

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped into small dice

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

400g tin chopped tomatoes, drained

200ml red wine

2 tablespoons tomato purée

1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

For the topping:

275ml whole milk

25g plain flour (gluten-free if required)

25g butter

¼ whole nutmeg, grated

250g Ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

25g Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Pour the stock into a saucepan together with the Puy lentils, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes before adding the green lentils. Cover again and cook for a further 15 minutes by which time most of the liquid should be absorbed and the lentils will be soft.
2. Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions until they are soft and tinged brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the red pepper, cook until softened for 4 minutes or so. Next add the garlic, cook for a further minute then transfer to a plate.
3. Now fry the aubergines in a further 2 tablespoons of olive oil (you may need a little more), turn up the heat and toss so that the aubergines get evenly cooked. When they are softened and browned add the drained tomatoes and the onion and pepper mixture.
4. In a bowl mix the wine, tomato purée and cinnamon together, then pour it over the vegetables. Then add the lentils, chopped parsley. Season well and let everything simmer gently whilst you make the topping.
5. For the topping, simply put the milk, flour, butter and nutmeg in a saucepan and whisk until it comes to simmering point and thickens into a smooth sauce. Remove for the heat and season with salt and pepper, let it cool a little before adding the Ricotta cheese, followed by the beaten egg.
6. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a baking dish and spoon over the cheese sauce, using the back of a spoon to take it right up to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c, for a hour.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.