Tag: food

‘Blast From the Past’ Recipe

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Potato and Smoked Mackerel Dauphinoise (Serves 3-4)

I figured that Februrary calls for a quick supper dish, so drum roll please for this months ‘Blast From the Past’… I first shared this recipe back in December 2020. It’s a great midweek supper dish, as you literally throw everything in a dish and leave it in the oven for an hour! I serve it simply with rocket, drizzled with a quality olive oil. The recipe is from one of Nigel Slater’s older cookbooks, ‘Real Food’. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, from personal experience, I think that for four people you should double the recipe and make two dishes – you can always reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

450g waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte

225g smoked mackerel fillets

2 bay leaves

300ml double cream

200ml full fat cream

1 tablespoon grain mustard

(Rocket to serve)

Serve with some rocket drizzled with a quality olive oil.

Wash the potatoes, there is no need to peel them, slice them lengthways (about 3mm thick).

Put them in a shallow baking dish about 30cm in diameter. Break up the mackerel fillets into large bite-sized pieces (remove the skin), and toss them gently with the potatoes. Tuck in the bay leaves.

Mix together the cream, milk, mustard and a little salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes.

Bake in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about an hour until the cream is bubbling and the potatoes are tender.

Tuesday Treat

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Banana Maple Friands

Oh, joy of joys, your very own, individual banana cake!.. These little friands are wonderfully moist, with a slightly sticky, chewy crust. They’re great served alone or for an indulgent edge, add a dollop of whipped cream!..

140g ground almonds

2 ripe bananas

6 egg whites, lightly whisked

180g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

240g caster sugar

75g plain flour (gluten-free if required, I use Doves)

2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus extra to drizzle

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*You will need a 12-hole friand tin, greased.

  1. Mash one banana in a bowl and add to the ground almonds along with the whisked egg white, melted butter, sugar, flour, maple syrup and cinnamon. Mix well
  2. Spoon the banana mixture evenly between the friand tin. Thinly slice the remaining banana and arrange 2 slices on top of each friand.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before using a knife to gently lever each friand out and allow to cool on a wire rack to cool. To serve drizzle with a drop of maple syrup.
    (They are best eaten on the same day when their crust is most chewy – but they will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days)

‘Blast From the Past’ Recipe

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Spaghetti with Monkfish and Cherry Tomato Sauce  (Serves 4)

This is a recipe that I shared back in the early days of Menu Mistress when we were in summer lockdown. It was one of my favourite quick recipes during those never-ending Covid days (which now, thankfully, seem like some surreal dream; how quickly life moves on!). I made this pasta dish again just the other day and was reminded of it’s deliciousness. And so I decided that I should also remind you!..

Often nicknamed ‘poor man’s lobster’, monkfish is a lovely meaty fish making this dish totally satisfying. It is best to have all the ingredients prepared before cooking as the sauce cooks quickly. It is a very special yet quick and simple pasta dish…

400g monkfish fillet, sliced into 1cm slices

400g spaghetti

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 red chilli, chopped (or less according to your taste)

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

350g ripe cherry on the vine tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons of capers

1 large bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 lemon

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Season the monkfish and place in the pan, allow to colour, stirring. Then add the dried and fresh chilli, and the garlic, cook for a couple of minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes and wine to the pan followed by the capers, cook over a high heat for a couple of minutes.
  3. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
  4. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the sauce along with the parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste). Toss everything together and serve. Easy!

April 2024

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Yes, I’m smiling it’s April and finally, it’s officially springtime (plus it’s the month of my birthday!). If like me you’re feeling full of the joys of spring, you’re probably out and about making the most of the brighter weather. Consequently, that means less time at home in your kitchens; so I figured that this month we would need some quick recipes with some bright flavours to match the weather and our mood… I happen to have a couple up my sleeve!

Menu One is ‘Sausage & Charred Citrus Traybake’, I must admit that I would never have thought that the combination of these flavours would work as well as they do – but believe me they absolutely do! The charred citrus juices blend beautifully with the cooking juices to create a tasty, aromatic sweet and sour sauce while the chickpeas stirred in at the end of cooking make it a substantial one-dish bake. Menu Two,’ Bandari Monkfish Tails with Shiraz Salad’, is an Iranian recipe which uses a tasty spice mix to permeate the fish with wonderful aromatics and colour. Served with the Shiraz salad it delivers a flavourful dish! Finally, Menu Three is ‘Spaghetti with Pancetta, Parsley and Parmesan’. The sweetness of this buttery, red onion sauce is cut beautifully by the salty pancetta and a sprinkling of parmesan. Once the onions and pancetta are chopped, it’s an easy sauce to throw together – a week-night pleaser!

I hope that these recipes for April have made you smile and let’s hope the weather can match their bright flavours!..

See you next week for my Tuesday Treat!

(Need some music for you kitchen?.. Lend an ear to my latest playlist, ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Twenty-Seven’… With its upbeat soul tracks it’s made for the brighter weather!)

Menu One

Sausage & Charred Citrus Traybake (Serves 4)


I must admit that I would never have thought that the combination of these flavours would work as well as they do – but believe me they do! We have Ixta Belfrage’s incredibly inventive cookbook, Mexcla, to thank for this recipe. The charred citrus juices blend beautifully with the cooking juices to create a tasty, aromatic sweet and sour sauce while the chickpeas stirred in at the end of cooking make it a substantial one-dish bake. It’s very important to use good quality Italian style sausages for this recipe as their fatty juices will run into the veg and sauce and not dry out.

300g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

1 red onion, cut into sixths

5 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 large mild red chillies, halved lengthways

3 tablespoons olive oil

1½ teaspoons maple syrup

½ teaspoon chipotle flakes

½ teaspoon Aleppo chilli or pul biber

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¾ teaspoon fine salt

8 good quality, fatty sausages, preferably Italian style (gluten-free if required)

90g water

1 lime, halved

1 tangerine, halved

200g tinned chickpeas, drained

For the Cucumber Salsa:

½ cucumber, peeled, halved, seeds removed

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

5g fresh coriander, finally chopped

5g fresh chives, finally chopped

  1. Place the first 12 ingredients (everything from the carrots to the sausages) in a large roasting tin. Mix well, then spread the sausages out. Pour the water into the tin, around the sausages making sure that you don’t get them wet!
  2. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 35-40 minutes, turning the vegetables (but not the sausages) a couple of times, until the sausages are cooked through and the vegetables are golden brown.
  3. While the sausages are in the oven, place a large frying pan on a high heat. Once very hot place the citrus halves, cut side down in the pan and char for 3-4 minutes or until the cut sides are nicely charred.
  4. For the salsa, chop the cucumber into 1cm cubes and mix together with the lime juice, oil, and salt. Then, just before serving stir in the chopped herbs.
  5. Transfer the contents of the roasting tin to a platter and squeeze over the charred citrus then stir in the chickpeas. Top with some of the cucumber salsa, serving the rest on the side.

Menu Two

Bandari Monkfish Tails with Shiraz Salad (Serves 4)

This Iranian recipe from Sabrina Ghayour’s cookbook Persiana uses a tasty spice mix to permeate the fish with wonderful aromatics and colour. Served with the Shiraz salad (recipe below) it delivers a flavourful dish!

4 monkfish tails or loins, about 175-200g each, skinned and cleaned

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 fat cloves, crushed

5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

A handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped plus extra to serve

A handful of fresh dill leaves, finely chopped

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Olive oil

1 teaspoon salt flakes

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1. Mix all the dry spices together in a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, lime zest and juice, yogurt and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the spice paste to rest.
  2. Place the monkfish tails in a shallow dish. Give the spice mix a good stir and pour over the fish. Use your hands to work the paste into the fish, ensuring all sides get an even coating. Once again cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and bring the fish to room temperature.
  3. Preheat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, drizzle with a little olive oil. Gently lay the monkfish in the pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until opaque and firm. Transfer to a serving plate and leave to rest for 1-2 minutes then serve, sprinkling with a little extra coriander and the Shiraz salad (recipe below) on the side.

Shiraz Salad (Serves 4-6)

Taking its name from the city of Shiraz in Iran, this is a popular Iranian salad. It’s the perfect accompaniment for spiced meat and fish dishes.

1 cucumber, finely diced

6 vine-ripe tomatoes, cored, deseeded and finely diced

1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly into ‘half moons’

Olive oil

3 good pinches of sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

2 heaped teaspoons of sumac

200g pomegranate seeds

  1. Place the cucumber, tomato and red onion in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with the salt and pepper and pour over the lemon juice then give everything a good mix. Finally, sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and sumac and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, as it’s best served chilled. 

Menu Three

Spaghetti with Pancetta, Parsley and Parmesan (Serves 4)

The sweetness of this buttery, red onion sauce is cut beautifully by the salty pancetta and a sprinkling of parmesan. Once the onions and pancetta are chopped, it’s an easy sauce to throw together – a week-night pleaser!

8 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 medium red onions, peeled and finely chopped (I use my food processor to save time!)

200g pancetta, finely sliced, then cut into 5mm pieces, plus 6 thin slices

400g spaghetti

150g butter

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

120g Parmesan, freshly grated

  1. Gently heat the butter in a pan. Add the onion and cook steadily for 15-20 minutes, then add the chopped pancetta and garlic. Turn the heat down, stir and continue to cook to blend the flavours for a further 10 minutes. Season generously with salt, pepper and dried chilli. The mixture should become quite dark. Add parsley and stir.
  2. Heat a small frying pan, brush with oil and fry the extra slices of pancetta until crisp.
  3. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, keeping back 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water. Mix the spaghetti into the warm parsley mixture and toss together, adding a little pasta water to help the sauce coat the spaghetti. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan and a slice pancetta on each portion.

February 2024

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Just when you think the darkest days of winter are behind you along comes February and more darkness! Fortunately Valentine’s Day offers a little light in the tunnel. Forget it’s significance, in my mind the 14th is my marker that the long winter season is almost at an end – spring officially starts in just over a month! Plus, let’s face it, it can’t be a bad thing to have a day that reminds us to tell each other that we love each other, especially when it often feels like the world is crumbling around us. We’re not necessarily talking romantic love here, but just the love for all of those that we often take for granted. You don’t have to send them a card, instead how about cooking them your favourite dish or one of this month’s Menu Mistress recipes!..

Menu One is ‘Chicken with Beaujolais, Prunes, Shallots & Thyme’. What can make you feel more loved than being cooked this dish?! The fruity wine creates a wonderful sauce around the chicken whilst the addition of prunes, garlic and Dijon elevate the dish to memorable realms. It’s just what the doctor ordered on a cold February evening! Menu Two is ‘Slow-Roast Hoisin Pork Shoulder’, this is a sweet and subtly spicy dish which everyone will love… and will love you for cooking it. Although the pork is cooked for over 5 hours it’s a very hassle-free dish – apart from basting the meat for the last hour of cooking you simply ignore it in the oven. It makes a delicious dinner served with sticky rice and a crunchy radish and cucumber salad. And finally, Menu Three is ‘Seared Beef with Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing’. Steak is one of those cuts of meats which we associate with special occasions, so serving this dish to your loved ones will definitely make them feel special. It’s incredibly simple to prepare; the juicy slivers of steak are drizzled with a sumptuous sharp yet sweet sauce whilst the sprinkling of brightly coloured pomegranate seeds create a spectacular looking dish!

‘Happy February’! Here’s to feeling loved and the beginning of spring!..

Menu One

Chicken with Beaujolais, Prunes, Shallots & Thyme (Serves 4)

This is such a great recipe, the fruity wine creates a wonderful sauce around the chicken whilst the addition of prunes, garlic and Dijon elevate the dish to memorable realms.

1 chicken jointed into 6/8 pieces or 8 chicken thighs

50g butter

4 large or 12 small shallots, peeled (leave root on to help them hold together)

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 thyme sprigs, plus ½ teaspoon picked thyme leaves

½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped, stalks reserved

2 bay leaves

200ml Beaujolais or another young, fruity red wine

16 pitted prunes

200ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus more to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  2. Melt the butter in a casserole pan over a moderate heat. Add the chicken and fry for around 5 minutes until golden brown all over. Add the shallots and continue to cook for 5 minutes until they too have taken on a bit of colour.
  3. Turn down the heat and add the tomato purée, garlic, thyme sprigs, parsley stalks and bay leaves, stir gently.
  4. Then add the wine, stirring well to dislodge any bits of caramelised chicken stuck to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the prunes and chicken stock. Cook over a low-moderate heat for around 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  5. Remove the chicken from the pan and leave it to rest on a plate, keeping it warm, while you reduce the liquid in the pan over a high heat for a couple of minutes to thicken it slightly. Add the Dijon and whisk to combine.
  6. Add the chicken back to pan. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and picked thyme leaves. Serve with more mustard on the side.

Menu Two

Slow-Roast Hoisin Pork Shoulder (with Radish & Cucumber Salad) (Serves 4-6)

This is another wonderful recipe from Diana Henry, it’s a sweet and subtly spicy dish which everyone will love. Although the pork is cooked for over 5 hours it’s a very hassle free dish – apart from basting the meat for the last hour of cooking you simply ignore it in the oven. It makes a delicious dinner served with sticky rice and a crunchy radish and cucumber salad (recipe below). *The skin is removed from the pork but rather than discarding it why not make some pork crackling?! – recipe below…

1.9kg shoulder of pork, boned, skin removed/ fat left on (*see note above)

125ml soy sauce (gluten free if required)

125ml runny honey

125ml hoisin sauce (gluten free if required)

125ml dry sherry

2 teaspoons five-spice powder

3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated to a purée

  1. Mix together the ingredients to make a marinade and put this in a large Ziploc bag with the pork. Marinate in the fridge for anything from 24-48 hours.
  2. Bring the pork back to room temperature for an hour before you are going to cook it.
  3. Place the pork in a roasting tin in which it will fit snugly (if there is too much room around it the juices and marinade will run off and burn) and pour the marinade into a bowl.
  4. Cook the pork in a preheated oven, 120’c fan, fro 4½-5 hours or until the meat is soft and melting.
  5. Ladle some of the marinade over the pork and return to the oven. Keep adding more marinade and basting the pork every 10 minutes for another hour, turning the meat over each time you do this. The pork should end up dark and glossy. If the joint starts to get too dark on the outside cover it with foil.
  6. Serve with Radish and Cucumber salad (recipe below) and sticky rice.

Radish and Cucumber Salad (Serves 4)

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 teaspoons caster sugar

2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated

1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped

1 cold cucumber, peeled in stripes and cut in half along its length

300g radishes (a mixture of colours if possible), cut into quarters or eighths

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (or a mixture of white and black sesame seeds)

  1. Make the dressing by mixing the vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic together with a pinch of salt.
  2. Scoop out the seeds from the cucumber and cut it into 4cm-thick pieces. Bash these with a rolling pin.
  3. Put the cucumber in a bowl with the dressing and chill for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the radishes and sesame oil, and toss the salad. Scatter the sesame seeds on top.

Best Pork Crackling

Oh yum, pork crackling, who can resist?..

Pork skin, scored

Malt vinegar (or if gluten free use cider vinegar)

Sea salt


1. Set the pork skin on a rack and pour over boiling water. The water will drain away.

2. Dry the skin, rub with vinegar and salt and set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Place the skin in a roasting tin and roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for an hour, until crisp.

Menu Three

Seared Beef with Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing (Serves 4)

This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare; the juicy slivers of steak are drizzled with a sumptuous, sharp yet sweet sauce whilst the sprinkling of brightly coloured pomegranate seeds create a spectacular looking dish! The recipe is from Sabrina Ghayhour’s wonderful cookbook ‘Persiana’ (I’ve halved the dressing as I felt that the original recipe made too much sauce but feel free to double it up).

4 sirloin steaks

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1 bag of rocket

100g pomegranate seeds

For the Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing:

100ml pomegranate molasses

40ml syrupy balsamic vinegar

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a jug, then set aside.
  2. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
  3. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes of each side for rare or a little longer depending on your taste. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds to crisp it up.
  4. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Then thinly slice the steak into slivers and arrange them on a platter. Take a generous handful of rocket leaves and place in the centre of the platter, then drizzle the sauce all over the beef (reserving some for the table). Finally, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.