Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2014 i Good Food

Our kitchens may be the heart of our homes, but when the sun shines and holidays beckon, we’re more than happy to head outdoors and discover the wider world of food. You don’t have to go far to be inspired. To help you make the most of weekends and holiday outings, we’ve lined up our top 10 destination farm shops in this issue. All guarantee a taste of good local food and make a great day out. We’re also offering inspiration to campers, glampers and festival-goers with new recipes from Food writer Mary Cadogan that require only minimal packing and prep, but are full of flavour. Mary, a keen camper, has cleverly edited her capsule-caravan kitchen down to the bare necessities, so she can always eat well while she travels…

Fruit & veg • Apricots• Aubergines• Beetroot• Blackberries• Blueberries• Broad beans• Carrots• Cherries• Courgettes• Cucumbers• Currants (black, red, white)• Fennel• French beans• Globe artichokes• Gooseberries• Kohlrabi• Lettuce• Marrows• New potatoes• Onions• Plums• Radishes• Raspberries• Rhubarb (outdoor)• Runner beans• Samphire• Strawberries• Sweetcorn• Tomatoes Fish & seafood • Cornish sardines• Crab• Pollack• Squid• Trout (sea and river)• Wild sea bass Meat & game • Salt marsh lamb• Wild rabbit• Wood pigeon…

Barbecues aren’t just about grilling food quickly. They’re also great for slow cooking. Deciding whether to use the ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’ method depends on the size and thickness of the food. THE DIRECT METHOD Hot and quick cooking This method is ideal for foods that don’t take long to cook, such as sausages, steaks, burgers, pieces of chicken and vegetables. The hot coals need to be spread evenly under the grill – then cook your food directly over the heat source. It’s good for getting a lovely caramelised surface and achieving attractive grill marks. THE INDIRECT METHOD Low and slow cooking Best for larger cuts that take longer to cook, like whole chickens, ribs and butterflied lamb, or tougher meat. You’ll need a lidded barbecue, as you’re creating an atmosphere…

Gigha Halibut, Scotland (gighahalibut.co.uk ) Winner of Best Food Producer category Based on the island of Gigha, this artisan business rears Scottish Atlantic halibut in land-based tanks, so wild stocks are protected and no antibiotics are required. The fish is smoked using oak chips made from whisky barrels. Buy it at some fishmongers – or order online. Veasey & Sons fishmongers, East Sussex (veaseyandsons.webs.com) Finalist in Best Local Food Retailer category At this fishmongers and oyster bar, set up by fisherman Chris Veasey and ex-chef Dan Howes, customers can both buy fish and get advice on how to cook and eat it – particularly useful with more unusual varieties. Much of the catch is brought in by Chris’s own day boat, which fishes around Eastbourne. The Pembrokeshire Beach…

1 North Wales Bodnant Welsh Food, Furnace Farm, Conwy (bodnant-welshfood.co.uk) Set up on similar lines to Ludlow, one of the best features of Bodnant is that you can watch artisan producers crafting the foods that you then buy in the shop, or eat in the courtyard café or Hayloft restaurant. In the dairy, Aled Rowlands uses the farm’s milk to make Aberwen, a deliciously dense crumbly cheese made to an ancient recipe. Ice cream and speciality bread are also produced on site, plus Furnace Farm’s own Welsh lamb. There’s a cookery school upstairs, and B&B accommodation, so you can make a weekend of your visit. 2 Devon Darts Farm, Topsham (dartsfarm.co.uk) Started by Ronald Dart nearly 40 years ago as a hut selling vegetables, Darts Farm is now run by…

Warner Edwards Harrington Dry Gin The drink A rich, smooth gin, sweetly spiced with botanicals including coriander, cardamom, elderflower, cinnamon, citrus peel and nutmeg. The creators Tom Warner and Sion Edwards met as agricultural students, quickly decided there was little money to be made in farming, so fixed on spirits as something that they could produce year-round. ‘We chose gin because vodka needs expensive advertising to sell it – and because we’re gin drinkers!’ They launched the business in December 2012 at Tom’s family farm near Northampton. Their rise has been meteoric – their gin was awarded Double Gold (the top medal) at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the spirits world’s Oscars. Coming soon is an elderflower gin: ‘It has an exciting flavour with an exclusive provenance –…

Prawn & lime noodles SERVES 2 PREP 20 mins NO COOK 100g/4oz dried rice vermicelli 2 tbsp each soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil juice 1 lime, plus wedges to serve ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 6 spring onions, finely shredded 2 large carrots, coarsely grated handful mint leaves, torn 150g pack ready-cooked king prawns 25g/1oz cashews or peanuts 1 Put the noodles in a bowl, pour over boiled water from a kettle to cover and set aside for 5 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water, then place in a large bowl. 2 Mix the soy, fish sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and chilli to make a dressing. Pour over the noodles and stir to coat. Add the spring onions, carrots, mint, prawns and nuts.…

‘My edible beach scene is a fun project – especially if you get the kids involved. It looks spectacular and combines an assortment of biscuit crumbs packed into a bucket to create an edible sandcastle with the texture of actual sand. There’s an inside-out cheesecake hiddeninside the bucket – a delicious surprise. Vanilla cupcakes baked in waffle cones provide yet more seashore treats. Spoons or spades are optional, but digging in for extras is a given!’ Frances Quinn, winner of BBC Two’s Great British Bake Off BEFORE YOU START Get your equipment ready – you’ll need a large tray or board big enough to assemble the biscuit beach. A piece of wood covered in foil works well. You’ll also need a medium sandcastle mould, and a small spade…

Pear & blueberry breakfast bowl SERVES 1 PREP 10-15 mins NO COOK If you don’t have blueberries, 1 heaped tbsp of raisins will count as 1 of your daily portions instead. (Add with the oats so that they have a little time to plump up in the yogurt.) 1 firm but ripe red-skinned pear, unpeeled 2 tbsp oats 150g pot 0% bio yogurt 3 tbsp skimmed milk, plus a bit extra 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 2 handfuls blueberries Grate the pear into a bowl and add the oats, half the yogurt, the milk and most of the seeds. Leave for 5-10 mins, then check the consistency and dilute with a little more milk or water if it is too thick. Spoon on the remaining yogurt, pile on the berries and…

Ice cream scoops look very professional, whether they’re simply topped with a sauce or served with a posh dessert like Jason Atherton’s soufflés (overleaf). To get ahead, prepare your scoops in advance, then just pull them out of the freezer on the day. 1 Leave the ice cream tub at room temperature for 8-10 mins in order to soften slightly – this will make it easier to scoop. 2 Fill a jug with hot water and dip in your scoop. Let it heat up for a moment or two, then dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. 3 Quickly and firmly roll the hot scoop through the ice cream in a few short strokes, creating tightly curled ribbons. 4 Place the scoop on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment Working quickly,…

Best all-rounder KitchenAid Chopper, from £57.60, John Lewis This is a professional piece of kit. It’s the most expensive chopper we tested, but it stood head and shoulders above other models. It created breadcrumbs in seconds, flaked chocolate, chopped veg and made a very smooth pesto. Plus, it’s quiet and easy to clean. Budget option Kitchen Collection Mini Chopper, £16.99, Sainsbury’s A good no-frills chopper. The serrated blade is great for shredding garlic cloves and carrots, and it made good crumbs from stale bread. We had to stir our pesto mix once to pick up some of the ingredients, but within this price bracket it’s a very useful gadget. Good for small jobs Kenwood Compact Mini Chopper, £19.99, Argos At 300ml capacity, this is small, but it’s an absolute whizz!…

Spatchcock is a technique for preparing poultry or game birds. First the backbone is removed and then flattened, which makes it easier to barbecue or quicker to roast. It’s a butchery preparation that is mostly associated with chickens but it also works well with poussin (spring chicken) and other small birds like quail or pigeon. The advantage of spatchcocking is that flat meat is easier to marinate – it also stays more succulent as it is cooked quicker on direct heat. A friendly butcher will spatchcock for you, but it really is easy enough for anyone to manage themselves at home. Using a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp kitchen knife, cut down either side of the parson’s nose to completely remove the backbone. Place the bird, breast-side up,…

At the outbreak of war in 1914, around half of Britain’s food was imported, mostly from the Americas in the form of wheat, sugar and beef. The poor in particular, with their diet of bread, jam, dripping and tea, were in a very vulnerable position. No surprise then that the first week of war saw panic buying on a national scale, stripping the shops of food. In truth, there was no shortage at that point, however the empty shelves sent a shiver down individual and government spines alike. The hoarding of food was made an illegal act. Gradually, however, people calmed down and the normal flow of retail supplies returned. But if the panic was over, the real pressures upon food supply were beginning to creep up. With so many…

Earliest food memory? Eating wonton noodles – my mum used to joke that if we weren’t good, we would have to work in a wonton noodle factory. Very scary! First recipe you made? It wasn’t until I was a student, and about 21. I cooked a chicken leg wrapped in bacon – which was raw in the middle. How did you learn to cook? From cookery books, cooking programmes and, of course, when I moved to England, from my mum via Skype. Food hero? I love watching Rick Stein. I would love to do what he does, travelling around and discovering the real flavours of the places he visits. Your best dish? I think the dish that really sums me up is my Chicken Kapitan curry. It’s the first dish…

All the recipes in Good Food magazine are tested thoroughly before publication, so they’ll work first time for you at home. Most are developed in our Test Kitchen by our cookery team, with additional recipes from food writers, TV chefs or cookery books. However, no matter who writes the original recipe, each one is tested rigorously before being included in the magazine. Your time and money are precious, so we want to guarantee you a perfect result every time. How we develop and test our recipes • We aim to make recipes practical, keeping ingredients lists to a minimum and avoiding lengthy preparation. • We help you to avoid waste by using full packs, cans and jars where possible. When it’s not possible, we try to include suggestions for leftovers.…

Roasted ratatouille & goat’s cheese tart SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins plus chilling COOK 2 hrs 500g pack all-butter shortcrust pastry flour, for dusting FOR THE FILLING 1 aubergine, cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks 1 courgette, thickly sliced 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips 1 red onion, thickly sliced 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled 3 tbsp olive oil 250g/9oz cherry plum tomatoes 300ml pot double cream 3 eggs ½ small bunch basil, leaves only, plus a few extra leaves to serve 150g pack hard goat’s cheese handful toasted pine nuts (optional) 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the aubergine, courgette, pepper and onion together with the garlic, olive oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a large baking tray (you may need to use 2 trays) and roast…

Beautiful beetroot & feta patties SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins COOK 8-10 mins 200g/7oz cooked and peeled beetroot, coarsely grated 200g pack feta, crumbled 3 spring onions, finely sliced 2 tbsp chopped dill 2 tbsp chopped mint 2 large eggs, beaten 100g/4oz fresh breadcrumbs 2 tbsp olive oil TO SERVE 200g pot 0% Greek yogurt 1 tbsp tahini 4-6 flatbreads salad items such as young beetroot leaves, dill or mint, and sliced cucumber and shallot lemon wedges 1 Pat the beetroot dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a bowl and stir with the feta, spring onions, herbs, eggs and breadcrumbs. Season and shape into 18 patties. 2 Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the patties in batches and cook for 4-5 mins each side until firm…

One of my favourite pre-dinner drinks is a kir royale, normally made with a splash of fruit liqueur topped up with chilled Champagne (or a cheaper alternative such as Vouvray or Prosecco). When out in my corner of France, I am usually offered a choice of liqueur: peach, blackberry or – most commonly – blackcurrant (cassis), and I always wondered how these delicious drinks were made. After some research and a few afternoons experimenting, I can now make my own – and very good it is, too. The brilliant bonus is that if you make blackberry liqueur, the fruit comes free if you pick it from the hedgerows. If you happen to have black or redcurrants in your garden, this recipe works for them, too. One tip I really urge…

8-10 August Foodies Festival, Inverleith Park, Edinburgh (foodiesfestival.com/event/ edinburgh-inverleith-park) 9 August Clitheroe Food Festival (clitheroefoodfestival.co.uk) 15-17 August Foodies Festival, Feast at Battersea Park (foodiesfestival.com/event/ feast-battersea-park) 16-17 August Nottingham Food & Drink Festival (nottingham foodfestival.co.uk) 16-17 August The Isle of Wight Garlic Festival (garlic-festival.co.uk) 23-25 August Flavours of Herefordshire Festival (flavoursofherefordshire.co.uk) 25 August Newlyn Fish Festival (newlynfishfestival.org.uk) 29-31 August The Big Feastival, Oxfordshire (jamieoliver.com/ thebigfeastival) 6-7 September Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival (lochlomond foodanddrinkfestival.co.uk) 12-14 September Ludlow Food Festival (foodfestival.co.uk) 19-21 September Liverpool Food & Drink Festival (liverpoolfoodand drinkfestival.co.uk) 20-21 September Abergavenny Food Festival (abergavenny foodfestival.com)…

Korean-style prawn & spring onion pancake SERVES 1 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins 75g/2½oz plain flour pinch of chilli powder 1 egg 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tbsp oil 4 spring onions, trimmed and shredded lengthways 100g/4oz small cooked prawns FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 red chilli, finely chopped pinch of sugar 1 Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together and set aside. 2 In a bowl, mix the flour, chilli powder and a pinch of salt. Beat together 100ml water, the egg and garlic. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the water mixture, beating all the time to make a smooth batter. 3 Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan and cook…

‘Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved camping holidays. When I was young, we often went to Ireland and camped on the beach, and the thrill of living and eating in the fresh air has never left me. In turn, I took my own children away each summer and passed on the simple pleasures of camping. ‘Home comforts such as warm duvets and comfy blow-up beds have always been essentials. And this also goes for our holiday food. A little forward planning, a bunch of simple recipes, a few key ingredients (including local meat and fish) and we can eat like kings with just our small stove and barbecue. ‘This year, we bought a vintage caravan, which means that if a sunny weekend is forecast, we can hitch up…

Double choc & pistachio ice cream sandwiches MAKES 8 sandwiches with a little ice cream left over PREP 45 mins plus freezing and cooling COOK 30 mins 100g bar white chocolate, chopped 100g/4oz pistachios, chopped FOR THE PISTACHIO ICE CREAM 100g/4oz pistachios 200g/7oz golden caster sugar 2 medium eggs, plus 2 yolks 400ml/14fl oz whole milk 300ml pot double cream 1 tsp vanilla or pistachio extract (optional) FOR THE COOKIES 175g/6oz salted butter, softened 200g/7oz light muscovado sugar 100g/4oz golden caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 large egg 200g/7oz plain flour 50g/2oz cocoa powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 100g/4oz dark chocolate, chopped 1 First make the ice cream. Put the pistachios and sugar in a food processor, and blend until finely chopped but with a little texture. Add…

Blueberry & macadamia flapjacks CUTS INTO 16 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 55 mins 250g pack butter, plus extra for greasing 140g/5oz demerara sugar 85g/3oz golden syrup 200g/7oz porridge oats 140g/5oz jumbo rolled oats 140g/5oz macadamia nuts, roughly chopped zest ½ lemon 85g/3oz self-raising flour 200g/7oz blueberries 85g/3oz white chocolate, finely chopped 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base of a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment so that there is a slight overhang – this will make it easier to remove the flapjacks. 2 Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and a pinch of salt in a pan, and gently melt over a low heat. Combine the oats, nuts, lemon zest and flour in a large bowl and pour over the melted…

As soon as the sun comes out, Maisie will ask if we can have a barbecue, and although actually cooking on a barbie isn’t child-friendly, there is plenty of preparation they can get involved in. If the weather lets you down, simply cook this in a griddle pan – it works just as well. BEFORE YOU START Clear the surface so there’s no clutter. Roll up sleeves, or get your child to wear a short-sleeved top. Put on an apron, tie back long hair or use a hair band. Washing hands is always important, but as your child will be handling raw chicken, it’s vital to wash them well afterwards. Gather your ingredients and equipment together. Never leave a child unattended – not only is it unsafe, but they may…

Courgette tortilla with toppings SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 6 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large courgette, coarsely grated 1 tsp harissa 4 large eggs 3 tbsp reduced-fat houmous 1 large red pepper from a jar, torn into strips 3 pitted queen olives, quartered handful coriander 1 Heat the oil in a 20cm non-stick frying pan, add the courgette and cook for a few mins, stirring occasionally, until softened. Meanwhile, beat the harissa with the eggs and pour into the pan. Cook gently, stirring, to allow the uncooked egg to flow onto the base of the pan. When it is two-thirds cooked, leave it untouched for 2 mins to set. Slide onto a plate, then return to the pan, uncooked-side down, to finish cooking. 2 To serve, tip…

Strawberry soufflés SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus cooling COOK 35 mins 50g dark chocolate, finely grated FOR THE STRAWBERRY PUREE 400g strawberries, stalks removed and quartered 5 tbsp white caster sugar FOR THE SOUFFLE 100ml full-fat milk 1 heaped tbsp plain flour 15g butter, plus extra for greasing 50g white caster sugar 2 egg yolks 4 egg whites ½ tsp lemon juice TO SERVE icing sugar 200g strawberries, sliced small pack mint leaves vanilla ice cream PER SERVING 328 kcals, protein 6g, carbs 61g, fat 7g, sat fat 3g, fibre 2g, sugar 57g, salt 0.3g Be patient! While the soufflés are in the oven, don’t open the door until the cooking time is up, as they might collapse. Top chef Jason, the first British chef to work at the…

Chop off the block Some of the coolest bars have a large block of ice as a centrepiece, which you can chisel away at to chip off a shard for your cocktail. If you fancy doing the same for a party at home, you can order blocks from specialist ice companies. Or to make your own, fill a large Tupperware box with water – check that it’ll fit in your freezer first – and freeze for 48 hours or until solid. Remove and turn out onto a serving tray. Then let guests break off ice for their drinks using an ice pick. Cuter cubes For a twist on the familiar home-frozen cubes, use larger silicone moulds – they’re less likely to break and will melt more slowly, keeping your drink…

Taste of Italy Simply Italian by Emanuela, Michela and Romina Chiappa (£20, Good Food offer price £17, Penguin) The Chiappa sisters are Welsh-Italian food bloggers with a heritage in cooking, an infectious enthusiasm and a Channel 4 TV show. Their motto is ‘Italian flavour, British style’ and their book recreates Italian recipes using the best of British ingredients. Italian food is a crowd-pleaser, and there is an excellent selection of snacks and pasta, mains and desserts. Showstoppers Social Suppers by Jason Atherton (£25, Good Food offer price £20, Absolute Press) Pollen Street Social is one of London’s top restaurants, but if you can’t get a table, Jason’s book is the next best thing. French training, Asian travel and…

Sea vegetables, £2.49, Waitrose A mix of samphire, sea aster and okahijiki, this pack of greens is a bit different. Okahijiki, a Japanese land seaweed with thin spiky leaves, tastes slightly salty, similar to samphire. Sea aster is another salt marsh vegetable, with flat wide leaves. Good with fish. Le Mesurier Béarnaise Sauce, £2.85/240g, lemesuriers.com Classic Béarnaise can be a bit of a fiddle, but this new ready-made one would pass as homemade. Serve cold for a thick dollop, or gently warm through to thin, then spoon over grilled steak. Kabuto Gluten Free Rice Noodles, £1.99, ocado.com The latest addition to this range of upmarket ‘noodles in a pot’ is now gluten-free. A rice noodle that comes in miso or chicken flavour, it’s an…

Michel Roux Jr cooks these impressive dishes in the new series of Food & Drink on BBC Two this July MICHEL ROUX Jr Mushroom millefeuille SERVES 4 as a starter PREP 1 hr 10 mins plus chilling COOK 40 mins A little effort Depending on the size of the cutter you use, these can either be served as dainty canapés, or a little larger for a starter for four.You can make both the mousse and pastry ahead of time. Keep the mousse chilled in a covered container and the pastry discs in an airtight tin. Refresh the pastries in a hot oven for a couple of mins, then cool and assemble as below. FOR THE PASTRY 500g all-butter puff pastry pinch of cayenne pepper, paprika or chilli flakes (optional) FOR…

RACHEL KHOO Spiced strawberry & cream cake SERVES 8 PREP 1 hr plus macerating and cooling COOK 35 mins A little effort Black pepper is the spice used here which, together with strawberries, may seem an odd coupling, but it is a classic combination and the pepper really does help bring out the flavour of the fruit. FOR THE STRAWBERRIES 150g caster sugar 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 450g strawberries, halved and hulled FOR THE CAKE 3 eggs 125g caster sugar 75g butter, melted 150g natural yogurt 300g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder FOR THE FILLING AND DECORATION 1 vanilla pod 500ml whipping cream 50g-100g icing sugar (or to taste) 100g strawberries, hulled and sliced 1 For the strawberries, put 150ml water, the sugar and black pepper in…

Salmorejo without toppings SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins plus chilling NO COOK 2 slices white bread 8 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 75ml/2½fl oz extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2-3 tbsp cider vinegar TO SERVE 1 boiled egg, finely chopped ½ red onion, finely chopped 50g/2oz Serrano ham, chopped ½ green pepper, finely sliced 1 Soak the bread in a shallow dish of water for 30 secs on each side. Whizz together the soaked bread, tomatoes, green pepper, garlic and olive oil in a food processor. Add 2 tbsp cider vinegar, a large pinch of salt and 100ml water, then mix again to a smooth soup consistency, adding a little more water if it is…

Korean BBQ wings SERVES 6 (2 skewers each) PREP 10 mins plus soaking COOK 40 mins Stretching out the chicken wings means they cook evenly and are easier to eat. 12 chicken wings 1½ tbsp sunflower oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted 2 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle FOR THE SAUCE 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar 3 tbsp soy sauce 5 tbsp golden caster sugar 2.5cm/1in piece ginger, peeled and grated 1½ tbsp sriracha chilli sauce (or other hot chilli sauce) 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for at least 10 mins. To make the sauce, pour the vinegar and soy into a jug. Heat the sugar and 1 tbsp water in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer until…

Whenever we go on holiday to the coast – usually Cornwall – we make a pledge to eat fish at every meal. It’s spanking fresh and irresistible – and then I think, why don’t we eat more of it at home? After all, it’s good for us, easy to cook and even economical, if you shop cleverly. And in the summer, we can open the windows or cook it outside to stop the smell hanging around – bonus! Choosing sustainable fish can sometimes be confusing, but the advice from the experts is to eat a wide variety, rather than creating pressure on one particular kind. As a general rule, choose sustainable line-caught and organically farmed fish. I tend to use the Marine Conservation Society’s fishonline.org website, which gives each fish…

This month we’re spoilt for choice, with so much produce ripening all at once in the summer sunshine, and available at knock-down prices. Courgettes Above any other fruit or veg, this is the one I get asked for inspiration and ideas about the most. Sadly, courgettes don’t freeze well, but they do make pretty good chutney teamed up with flavoursome homegrown tomatoes. I also like to make pickled courgettes following any recipe for pickled cucumbers; after all, they are in the same family. There’s no need to peel them, just cut into slices and make sure you give them a good salting before pickling to extract as much water as possible – this keeps them crunchy. Aubergines, peppers and chillies Plentiful and cheap. Make a batch of ratatouille, which freezes…

First it was craft beers – now craft spirits are all the rage, with small copper-pot stills popping up around Britain. Gins are especially popular. But why? The main reason is financial: white spirits don’t need ageing before selling so can be profitable for small businesses. The vodka market on the other hand is dominated by brands with huge marketing budgets. Also, gin offers a fascinating range of flavours depending on the ingredients – or botanicals – used. Sarah Jane Evans meets four producers: New tastes of Cornwall Tarquin’s Cornish Gin and Cornish Pastis The drink The gin is dry and fresh with notes of orange blossom and juniper. The pastis is gloriously silky and flavoured with Turkish aniseed, Uzbekistan liquorice and Cornish gorse. The name Cornish Pastis may sound…

DAY ONE Spaghetti Bolognese with salami & basil 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced 1 red pepper, diced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 750g/1lb 10oz beef mince 4 tbsp tomato purée 50ml/2fl oz balsamic vinegar 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 1 beef stock cube 75g/2½oz salami, chopped 400g/14oz spaghetti, shredded basil leaves and grated Parmesan, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large casserole and cook the onion and pepper for 3-4 mins until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 min, then add the mince and cook until browned. 2 Stir in the tomato purée, balsamic vinegar, chopped tomatoes and stock cube. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, put on the lid and cook, stirring every so often, for 20…

If you’re setting up a makeshift kitchen on your holiday, you need your gadgets to be light, compact and useful. Here are our essential kitchen tools for campers: Cuisipro SGT Pocket Grater, £9.99 , whiskcooking.co.uk Four graters in one compact and portable gadget. The blades slide into a protective case so you could put it in your luggage without snagging your clothes. Chef’n Veggichop, £19.99, lakeland.co.uk A Good Food favourite. Blitz up a pesto, shred carrot or chop onion without using a knife, board or any electricity! Simply pull the cord to rotate the sharp, powerful blades inside. Vacanza by Outwell Smart Kettle, £20, halfords.com This 1.5-litre stove-top kettle collapses down to just 4.5cm – fantastic for conserving backpack space. This model is…

Menu for 4 • Deep-fried tofu with pineapple, sweet chilli & basil• Pull-apart chicken with green curry & lime leaf dressing• Cucumber salad• No-bake coconut crème brûlée WANT TO GET AHEAD? • Make the sesame seed dressing for the cucumber salad the day before.• Marinate the chicken the night before.• Make the crème brûlée and leave to chill overnight.• In the morning, prepare the chilli, garlic and palm sugar mix for the tofu. Deep-fried tofu with pineapple, sweet chilli & basil SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins 4 long red chillies 6 garlic cloves, crushed 200g/7oz palm sugar 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes 50ml/2fl oz fish sauce 2 tbsp tamarind paste oil, for deep-frying 300g/11oz firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes (to learn more about tofu, turn to page 122…

Homemade pizza dough only MAKES 4 thin-crust pizzas PREP 15 mins plus proving COOK 10-12 mins per pizza FOR THE BASES 450g/1lb strong white flour (or plain flour), plus extra for dusting 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp golden caster sugar 2 tsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing FOR THE SAUCE ¼ quantity Big-batch tomato sauce (see recipe, far right) or tomato purée SUGGESTED TOPPINGS pesto mini mozzarella balls or grated mozzarella pepperoni sweetcorn ham cherry tomatoes basil leaves 1 Put the flour, 2 tsp salt, the yeast and sugar in a large bowl, and mix until everything is evenly distributed. 2 Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the olive oil, then 300ml of warm-to-the-touch water. Make sure the water is…

Amid the non-stop flow of advice about diet and health, one message stays constant, writes nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens. The fact that all experts agree – a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is good for us. Fresh, frozen, even canned all count– and may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer, plus help to fight the signs of ageing. A recent study by University College London reported increasing health benefits for people who ate up to seven or more portions a day – with vegetables and salad proving more beneficial than fruit. Studies like this continue to stress the value of plant foods in our diets, reminding us not only of the importance of fibre, but also colour. Many of the beneficial compounds in…

The lowdown on tofu  Low in calories and fat, tofu is a versatile source of vegetarian protein and is now widely available in supermarkets. Here’s our guide to the different types What is it exactly? Also known as bean curd, it is produced from soya beans. These are soaked in water, ground into soya milk, then boiled. A coagulant is added – enough to curdle the mixture for a firm tofu – which is produced when the curds are separated from the whey and pressed. Silken or soft, tofu is produced without the milk curdling and separating, and is left to set on its own. Traditional, firm or Chinese-style tofu This has a firm, slightly spongy texture. Most supermarkets sell a medium firm variety. It has no distinct flavour of…

Food editor, Barney Desmazery Oxo Good Grips Beak Ice Cream Scoop, £11, amazon.co.uk ‘The quick-release function makes this ideal for topping ice cream cones for the kids. The head of the scoop is flatter than many ice cream scoops, meaning I can also make perfect quenelles of cream or ice cream for finishing off fancy desserts.’ Assistant food editor, Cassie Best Traditional Ice Cream Scoop, £5.99, Lakeland ‘Not only does this make perfectly rounded balls of ice cream (great for my Sundaes recipes on page 35), I’ve discovered another practical use for it – scooping evenly sized mounds of cake mixture into muffin cases.’ Cookery assistant, Katy Gilhooly Zeroll Aluminium Ice Cream Scoop, £21.99, oxfordshirechefshop.co.uk ‘This clever gadget has a heat conductive fluid in…

Packed with fruit POM Wonderful Pomegranate & Cloudy Apple Juice, £3.56/710ml, ocado.com , Tesco, Waitrose There’s something so enticing about the inky colour of pomegranate juice. However, if you find 100% pomegranate just a little too dry, try this apple blend for size. One-third apple juice makes it much more fun. For serving suggestions The website, pomwonderful.co.uk, has plenty of ideas, tips and facts. Heavenly nectars Jus de Pommeraie Peach, Apricot and Pear Nectars, £1.60-£2.40/ 250ml, £3.40-£3.75/1-litre, ocado.com , independents Looking for a peach nectar good enough for a Bellini? These French ones are just the job – simply add Prosecco. Super rich and fruity, they come in dinky bottles for picnics, too. And they’re versatile Try diluting the apricot…

A dish to impress from former Celebrity MasterChef winner Lisa Faulkner. The series continues weeknights on BBC One LISA FAULKNER Scallops with julienne of ginger & carrots in vermouth SERVES 4 PREP 45 mins plus chilling COOK 35 mins More of a challenge These make a really impressive starter.You may have to order the scallops on the shell, so check with your fishmonger. 400ml fish stock 25g butter 2 carrots, julienned 1 leek, julienned 1 celery stick, julienned thumb-sized piece ginger, julienned 50ml vermouth 50ml double cream 4 large scallops in their shell 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten 1 Pour the fish stock into a pan and bring to the boil, then reduce over a high heat to 100ml. Melt the butter in a frying pan over…