Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Good Food

To warm up this frequently freezing (but thankfully short) month, we’re serving up a generous portion of great-value recipes in this special budget issue. Our brilliant easiest-ever midweek meals come in at £1 a head (p44), and we’ll inspire you to transform cheap and plentiful seasonal veg into something special and a little bit different. Turn turnips into rib-stickingly good tartiflette (p38), and discover the surprise ingredient that makes our sticky toffee pudding cover recipe (p42) so moreish. We also hear from food lovers who keep their costs down while still eating well, by teaming up with others to shop or eat together – or even rear their own livestock (p21). Being part of a local food community reaps other benefits too: making friends, supporting local producers, encouraging kids to…

Can you eat raw beansprouts? Beansprouts that can be eaten raw will be labelled ‘ready to eat’ – check the packaging carefully to make sure. If not, it is important to wash and thoroughly cook them. Does the ‘five-second rule’ actually exist? This is the idea that if you drop food and pick it up quickly enough, it will still be safe to eat. Most floors have dirt and bacteria on them, which can be instantly transmitted to a dropped item – therefore this is a myth! Is it safe to eat uncooked fish? Yes – if the fish has undergone an appropriate freezing treatment. Some fish contain parasites that may be a health risk to the consumer – products that are intended to be eaten raw should have undergone…

Nitro coffee A step beyond cold brew – cold coffee is infused with nitrogen, then poured from a keg, much like a stout, for a smooth, creamy finish. It’s available in artisan coffee shops, plus Starbucks and Costa plan to trial it this year. Picanha Sales of Brazil’s most popular steak cut are rising in the UK – Waitrose has seen a 70% jump in the past year. Picanha (pronounced pee-con-ya), also known as the top sirloin cap or rump cap, is soft and succulent, perfect for grilling. Probiotic water Plenish has launched the UK’s first organic and dairy-free probiotic drinks. These low-cal, fruit-juice-infused waters each contain one billion probiotics to aid gut health (plenishcleanse.com). Continental fizz Sussex sparkling wine, recently granted regional protection status by the Department for Environment,…

In the beginning The grilled cheese toastie, which has long been an American comfort food classic, differs from a toastie in that the bread is buttered on the outside and then pan-fried. Then American comfort food and big flavours started to trend about five years ago when burgers, ribs, barbecue food and fried chicken became staples in street-food stalls and restaurants. Other Stateside greats have followed, including the grilled cheese sandwich. Now Niche restaurants and food trucks dedicated to grilled cheese have opened in London, including toastie truck Grill My Cheese (grillmycheese.co.uk); Soho’s Melt Room (meltroom.com), the capital’s first grilled cheese shop; and The Cheese Bar (thecheesetruck.co.uk) in Camden. As well as the classic combo, these cheese wizards stuff sandwiches with mac & cheese, Mexican fondue and more. Make it…

On the Pulse by Georgina Fuggle (£16.99, Kyle Books) Nutritious, cheap and filling, pulses are a brilliant staple, and this collection of modern recipes shows how versatile they can be. Ideal for family meals, there are comforting pies, stews, curries, soups, roasts, cakes and bakes. There’s a handy guide to the varieties of pulses, soaking and cooking times too. Must-try recipe Cheese & cannellini bean pie with fennel seed pastry. Gatherings by Flora Shedden (£25, Octopus Publishing) Flora was just 19 when she reached the semi-finals of 2014’s Great British Bake Off , impressing the judges with her complex bakes. She’s pared things back for her debut book, focusing on relaxed dishes for sharing – slow-roast meats, platters of salads and beautiful desserts. Must-try recipe Sloe…

Vitamin D plays an essential role in your child’s health – without it, the body can’t absorb calcium into bones and cells. In the UK, the sun is strong enough only between April to September for the skin to produce enough from exposure to daylight. The vitamin is found in oily fish, such as salmon, trout, sardines and fresh tuna. Other sources include red meat, egg yolks and fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, some milks and spreads. Government recommendations now suggest that all children over one should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D (bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ vitamin-d-your-child-getting-enough).…

HEALTHY MAGAZINE Kick-start your 2017 with Good Food's brand-new Healthy magazine, featuring 114 simple, nutritious recipes. On sale now for £3.90. GF SHOWS Discover a BBC Good Food Show near you – find out more on page 88. Readers save 20% on tickets! GOOD FOOD ON YOUR PHONE OR TABLET Download our interactive app at the Apple App Store. HEALTHY DIET PLAN Find a vegetarian version of our new healthy diet plan, plus previous tried-and-tested plans at bbcgoodfood.com.…

‘Berries develop a potent fruitiness when frozen, and pack a vivid punch’ Eggs I’d be at a total loss if I couldn’t fall back on my old, best friends in the kitchen – supremely nutritious and democratically cheap, even if you buy organic (£1.60-2.40 for six). When a thrifty, carb-centric meal needs an injection of high-quality protein, think eggs. Celery A bargain – it costs as little as 60p. I like to poach celery in stock and then thicken with cream. Sautéed in butter and puréed, it makes a fine soup that tastes reminiscent of expensive salsify. Stripping the strings with a potato peeler makes all the difference. Italian short-grain organic brown rice All good wholefood shops stock these pearly smooth grains. Greatly superior to the starchy, long-grain sort –…

Last year I gave a wine tasting for the London cast of the stage adaptation of Sideways. The 2004 film told the story of two Americans on a week-long road trip around the vineyards of Santa Barbara. Jack is a former soap star now relegated to voiceovers on ads; Miles is a divorced, neurotic writer and wine geek, sustained by his love – bordering on obsession – for pinot noir. My task was to help the British actors understand the wine-loving parts of their characters, and to explain what’s so special about pinot noir. Pinot noir is the heartbreak grape. Of all the grapes used to make wine, this is the one that brings tears to the eyes of grown men – seriously, I’ve seen it happen. Pinot noir gets…

Leek & butter bean soup with crispy kale & bacon Butter beans give this dairy-free soup a creamy texture and the starchy liquid from the can helps to thicken it. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY 4 tsp olive oil 500g leeks sliced 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 2 x 400g cans butter beans 500ml vegetable bouillion stock 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1/2 small pack flat-leaf parsley 3 rashers streaky bacon 40g chopped kale, any tough stems removed 25g hazelnuts, roughly chopped 1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the leeks, thyme and seasoning. Cover and cook for 15 mins until softened, adding a splash of water if the leeks start to stick. Add the butter beans with the water…

Butter chicken The chicken can be marinated the day before so you can get ahead. Any leftovers keep well and can be reheated. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating COOK 35 mins EASY 500g boneless and skinless chicken thighs For the marinade 1 lemon, juiced 2 tsp each ground cumin and paprika 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder 200g natural yogurt For the curry 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional) thumb-sized piece ginger, grated 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp ground fenugreek 3 tbsp tomato purée 300ml chicken stock 50g flaked almonds, toasted To serve (optional) cooked basmati rice naan bread mango chutney or lime pickle fresh coriander lime wedges 1 In…

Baked sweet potatoes with steak fajita filling This recipe is super-easy. I love that it’s all made using natural ingredients – it’ll show your friends and family that healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 50 mins EASY 4 sweet potatoes 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to rub on the potatoes juice 1 lime 2 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp each garlic powder and ground cumin 500g lean steak, cut into medium-sized strips 2 onions, thinly sliced 4 peppers (a mixture of red, orange and yellow), thinly sliced small handful coriander, chopped 2 avocados, halved, stoned and peeled 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Wash the sweet potatoes, prick them with a fork all over, then rub with a little…

This month I’m sharing one of my reduced-carbohydrate meals. I recommend having three meals a day – two low-carb dishes and one carb refuel meal to eat after training. Designed to fit in with your day, this recipe will work for either lunch or dinner, depending on when you do your workout. Mediterranean turkey-stuffed peppers This is an oldie, but a goldie. Filling the peppers with low-fat turkey breast mince keeps this dish lean. SERVES 2 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY 2 red peppers (about 220g) 11/2 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle 240g lean turkey breast mince (under 8% fat) 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, grated 1 tsp ground cumin 3-4 mushrooms, sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 chicken stock…

Prawn jambalaya This nourishing dish is a winner. It’s low-fat, low-calorie, and provides 4 of your 5-a-day – plus it’s all made in one pan! SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins EASY 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 onion, chopped 3 celery sticks, sliced 100g wholegrain basmati rice 1 tsp mild chilli powder 1 tbsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 150g pack small prawns, thawed if frozen 3 tbsp chopped parsley 1 Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the onion and celery, and fry for 5 mins to soften. Add the rice and spices, and pour in the tomatoes with just…

Good Food contributing editor Diana Henry is an award-winning food writer. Each month she creates exclusive recipes using seasonal ingredients. Her tenth book, Simple (£25, Mitchell Beazley), is out now. @ DianaHenryFood The best thing my mum could have done during the day when we were all at school, was bake a chocolate cake. We would know if she’d made one as the cake tin would be sitting on the counter when we got home; the baking parchment sticking out over the edges, and the beaters from the mixer still covered in chocolate buttercream. None of us were sure whether to dive into the tin or grab a beater and lick it. I can remember feeling the weight of the cake as I checked the thickness of the buttercream in…

Vietnam and Cambodia Hanoi, Hue, Saigon, Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh & the Temples of Angkor. Sixteen days from only £1,899pp** Selected departures from up to November 2017 Take our escorted tour into the heart of captivating Vietnam, then travel to Cambodia to see beautiful Phnom Penh and the amazing ancient city of Angkor. Fully escorted price includes: • Return flights from London Heathrow. • Four- and five-star hotel accommodation with breakfast, plus five meals. • A stay in Phnom Penh, ‘Pearl of Asia’, to tour what is considered the most beautiful of Indochina’s French colonial cities. • A visit to the vast ancient city and temples of Cambodia’s Angkor, one of the world’s greatest archaelogical sites, comparable to Rome or the Egyptian pyramids. • A cycle rickshaw tour of Vietnam’s…

‘I love experimenting with fusion dishes,’ says Preeti, who was born in India and now lives in Swindon. ‘This shortbread is one of my Indo-British fusion recipes. The base is made from coconut, and the topping has white chocolate. It’s perfect for someone who wants to try something different – and it’s also gluten free.’ Indian coconut ice SERVES 16 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins plus 2-3 hrs chilling EASY For the coconut base 4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter, plus extra for greasing 100ml milk 100ml double cream 6 green cardamom pods 175g golden caster sugar 200g desiccated coconut For the topping 200g gluten-free white chocolate 4 tbsp double cream a few drops of pink food colouring 1 Grease a 16cm square baking tin with ghee. Mix the…

Barney, our Food editor- at-large, has worked as a chef internationally and is a pro at adapting restaurant recipes to make at home. @barney_desmazery CHEF SWAPS Wasabi for horseradish Back when sushi seemed exotic, wasabi was described as Japanese horseradish because both plants have a strong, nasal-clearing, mustard flavour that pairs well with oily fish. Wasabi is best served with sushi, but can be used instead of horseradish to add a kick to mash, mayo or dressings. Fresh wasabi is rare in the UK but you can add the powder (which you mix with water), or pre-mixed tubes, straight to foods. YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE Salt & vinegar seasoning Ever wondered why salt & vinegar crisps aren’t soggy? The secret is in this seasoning, which works well with chips, fish, prawns,…

Following the success of his bakeries in New York and Tokyo, French-born pastry chef Dominique Ansel made his UK debut last year when he opened on Elizabeth Street in London’s Belgravia ( dominiqueansellondon. com ). The man who created the Cronut (a croissant-doughnut hybrid) also serves magic soufflés, cookie shots and frozen s’mores alongside classic patisserie. @dominiqueansel Canelés de Bordeaux A canelé is a cork-shaped pastry from Bordeaux, which has a caramelised crust and a soft middle. Making them is proof of the cook’s patience and dedication. You have to wait 24 hours for the gluten to rest, so that the canelés rise straight up. Some creations demand effort to achieve perfection. Next time you want to show you care, skip the…

This month, Sophie Wyburd recommends Pasha in Withington, Manchester ( pasha-restaurant.com ). Pasha is my favourite restaurant to go to with friends. They serve delicious Lebanese meze, perfect for sharing, including silky-smooth houmous, fresh flatbreads, an outstanding chicken shish kebab, and their take on a moussaka. I have yet to encounter any duds on the extensive menu. The service is great, and the owner is very friendly and accommodating. To top it off, it’s BYOB! Know somewhere good in your area? Tell us what makes it stand out – we’ll publish a recommendation in every issue. Let us know on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #gfeatsout…

THE KITCHEN CABINET Radio 4’s travelling band of foodies conclude the current series north of the border in Stirling at 10.30am on 11 February. Food historian Dr Annie Gray will join chefs Rachel McCormack, Sue Lawrence and Rob Owen Brown on the panel to answer audience questions on all things culinary. Host Jay Rayner and the team will be back in April with a new series. SATURDAY KITCHEN LIVE Four popular Saturday Kitchen presenters take it in turns this February, with Irish cook Donal Skehan hosting on 4 February. Matt Tebbutt takes over on 11 February, followed by Michel Roux Jr on the 18th and Angela Hartnett (below) on the 25th. Catch the live show on Saturday at 10am on BBC One, and Best Bites on BBC Two on Sunday…

Achiote A bright orange- red paste or powder, from ground annatto seeds, with an earthy flavour. Used as a marinade, and to flavour soups and stews. Adobo A ‘rub’ used to marinate meats. It’s a little like a curry paste, made with puréed chillies, garlic, ginger and cumin, plus other spices of the chef’s choosing. Campechana A Mexican mixed seafood cocktail, which usually contains ketchup, clamato (clam and tomato juice), chillies, cucumber and avocado. Carnitas Means ‘little meats’ – it’s usually made with pork, but duck carnitas are gaining in popularity. Similar to a confit – rich, fatty meat is cooked for a few hours, then shredded. Often served with chicharrón (fried skin) and salsa verde. Esquites Sweetcorn is stripped from the cob and served in a bowl topped with…

Michael Buerk uncovers royal recipes past and present in this new 15-part series. He will be joined by top chefs Paul Ainsworth and Anna Haugh, who will be bringing a range of historic recipes up to date. The series delves into the Royal Archives and the recipe book of Mildred Nicholls – a Buckingham Palace kitchen maid – to examine how royal favourites have changed over the generations. Weekday afternoons on BBC One until 10 February Creme à la Carême This dessert was among the recipes Mildred recorded, and is named after Marie-Antoine Carême, the renowned chef who created banquets for George IV in the early 19th century and is considered the founder of haute cuisine. SERVES 10-12 PREP 1 hr plus 4 hrs chilling COOK 15 mins MORE EFFORT…

Skinted Pulltex corkscrew, £7.75, Borough Kitchen Ask most sommeliers what they use to open wine bottles and they’ll suggest a ‘waiter’s friend’ (one with a lever that you push against the top of the bottle to extract the cork). This one comes highly recommended – sturdy and compact, the double lever makes cork extraction really easy. It also includes a sharp knife for foil cutting and a bottle cap opener. Minted Lever corkscrew, £39.99, Lakeland A super-speedy corkscrew that works in just three seconds. The smooth lever action makes it effortless to remove any type of cork. With its sleek design and presentation box, this would make a great Valentine’s Day gift. Comes with a matching stopper and foil cutter.…

I grew up in a village where we had eggs from the ‘egg lady’, ate free-range local pork and there were sheep in the field opposite our house. When I moved to London, I realised it was difficult to be connected to where your food comes from. My ex-housemate Ashley and I opened Leytonstone Food Assembly in 2015. The Assembly is every Thursday night at The Wild Goose Bakery, run by Vernon and Kirstin, who were some of the first people I met in the neighbourhood. We’ve got 17 producers now, having started with 10. Some are based within a mile: London honey, Leytonstone-based MC Chocolatier and Zara, who does amazing chilli jams, plus meat, cheeses and vegetables from farms just outside London. I’ve got to know so many people…

WHERE 1C School Lane Didsbury Manchester M20 6RD 0161 445 3996 hispi.net COST Dinner for two around £100 BEST DISH Caramelised chicory, Ribblesdale goat’s curd & walnut ketchup VERDICT An unusually ambitious, sharp neighbourhood bistro ‘Usher is a stickler for quality, and his popular, smartly creative dishes deliver’ For restaurant lovers, Twitter can be as boring as it is boorish. Too many restaurant accounts give you nothing but the hard sell (#fridayfeeling #foodporn #ginoclock). But there are glittering exceptions to this yawn-fest, a few sharp, opinionated (often X-rated) and hilarious feeds (@Mangal2, @thehiphopchippy) that offer credible insight into kitchen life. Inparticular, Gary Usher (@stickywalnut – tone: chef on the verge of a nervous breakdown) has attracted a loyal online following, who have helped to crowdfund two spin-offs from Usher’s Chester…

Turnip tartiflette £1.75 per serving We’ve swapped the potatoes for turnips in the classic French dish, a no-brainer for using up a glut in a seasonal veg box. They add a welcome pepperiness that contrasts with the Reblochon cheese, for which tartiflette is famous. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 40 mins EASY 750g turnips, peeled and sliced 20g butter, plus extra for greasing 1 large onion, sliced 200g smoked bacon lardons 1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped 200ml crème fraîche 240g Reblochon, rind and all, chopped into chunks green salad and cornichons, to serve 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the turnips and cook for 6 mins until just tender, then drain. 2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a…

We’re offering you and a guest the chance to win a luxury five-night break in the Alpine village of Samoëns, staying at the beautiful Belle Époque boutique hotel, Villa Rose. Just an hour from Geneva, Villa Rose is a lovingly restored villa that offers both a luxurious home away from home and the perfect base for a getaway in the great outdoors. There is a huge range of sports to choose from in the local area, from hiking and white-water rafting to paragliding. If you simply fancy relaxing, the Villa’s welcoming sunroom is a great place to curl up with a book, and there’s also a brand-new jacuzzi. You’ll enjoy fantastic food from head chef Daniel Kyramarios – his inventive dishes, inspired by global cuisines, range from French classics to…

What kind of a breakfaster are you? Do you like to hit the gym first thing, then top-up with something protein-based straight after your workout? Maybe you’re a habitual office breakfaster who always eats a bowl of porridge at your desk? Whatever your morning routine, you’ve probably got it down to a fine art, but it only takes a small change with Alpro’s great-tasting and healthy* plant-based range to liven things up a bit. Try a deliciously healthy** splash of Alpro Almond Unsweetened drink with granola and raisins. Enjoy muesli with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and rich in plant protein Alpro Soya Original drink or Alpro Plain with Coconut soya alternative to yogurt. Or why not just try adding a little fibre-rich Alpro Oat Original drink to porridge and…

Chorizo & chilli pepper pasta Another way to use up the guindilla pickled chilli peppers – also in the Turkish kebabs on page 64 . SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY 200g penne 1/2 tbsp olive oil 100g chorizo, skin removed and cut into chunks 400g can cherry tomatoes 2-3 guindilla pickled chilli peppers, sliced on an angle 1/2 small pack basil, leaves picked and roughly torn Parmesan, grated, to serve 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, give it a good stir, then cook for 1 min less than pack instructions, about 9-10 mins 2 Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for a couple of mins until the…

So-called ‘superfoods’ can be expensive, but you don’t need to splash the cash to eat a healthy and balanced diet. While there is no single ‘miracle’ food that will give you all the nutrition you need, these cheaper, everyday ingredients are a great way to give your body a nutritional boost. They have a similar nutritional profile to their more costly counterparts. Roasted carrot, rocket & lentil salad SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V 300g carrots, peeled and sliced lengthways 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 tsp honey 1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard 250g ready-cooked lentils 1/4 cucumber, chopped 80g rocket, washed 1 avocado, sliced 50g feta, crumbled 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Toss…

Visit the BBC Good Food Show for a delicious day out in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate this May. Join a stellar line up of your favourite chefs and experts including Tom Kerridge, Michel Roux Jr and more, all cooking seasonal dishes live in the stunning Edwardian theatre. Pick up top tips on the Interview Stage, get your cookbooks signed, and maybe even snap a selfie! Plus, discover, sample and shop from a huge range of Yorkshire’s finest food and drink producers. Harrogate tickets on sale now. Save 20%* - quote GFR3. Join us as a VIP Get the best seats in the Supertheatre, VIP Lounge access, a cookbook and more with our VIP package. Or upgrade to a VIP Box for Two and enjoy a private box in…

Good Food contributing editor Rosie Birkett is a food writer and stylist. Each month she creates modern recipes for us. Her cookbook, A Lot on Her Plate, is out now (£25, Hardie Grant). @rosiefoodie Smoky braised brisket Brisket has always been one of my favourite cuts because it’s cheap and incredibly flavourful, with a lovely layer of fat running through it. This recipe is inspired by the smoky flavours of American and South American barbecue, on offer at hot new London restaurants like Neil Rankin’s Temper in Soho and Smokestak in Shoreditch. This is just the kind of comfort food I want to eat on a cold winter’s night. SERVES 3-4 PREP 20 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating COOK 3 hrs 45 mins EASY 800g-1kg brisket, boneless 1…

SATURDAY BRUNCH Protein pancakes Kick-start the weekend with these better-for-you vegan pancakes. You can make your own quinoa flour by lightly toasting quinoa grains in a dry pan, then whizzing to a powder in a food processor. SERVES 2 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V For the batter 2 tbsp ground linseed 20g ground almonds 300ml soya milk 200g quinoa flour (see above) 1 medium banana, mashed 2 tbsp maple syrup coconut oil, for frying For the blueberry chia jam 200g blueberries 2 tbsp chia seeds 1-2 tbsp maple syrup, to taste 2 tsp lemon juice To serve 100g coconut yogurt 1 tbsp pistachios or pumpkin seeds, chopped and toasted if you like 2 tsp hulled hemp seeds mixed berries 1 In a small bowl, stir the linseed…

Its stunning setting – between the ruins of a medieval abbey and a working watermill – would be reason enough to visit the local producers’ market in the village of St Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire. But it is remarkable too for its outstanding produce and sense of community – for which it was named Best Food Market at last year’s BBC Food and Farming awards. Since 2009, the market has been held every Tuesday outside a 19th-century coach house, which was restored by villagers and is now a visitors’ centre, café and museum. The pitch fees for the 23 stalls help to maintain the centre. The market may be small, but its food – all sourced from within a 30-mile radius – is superb. There’s locally caught crab and lobster sold by…

Seville oranges are full of pectin and set better than other citrus fruits. As they are unwaxed, they tend to dry out, so use or freeze them quickly. Choose oranges that are firm and heavy (about £2.50/kg, Waitrose). A sharp knife is essential to slice the peel – you’ll be there all day otherwise. This Robert Welch knife sharpener (£19.96, lakeland.co.uk ) is easy to use if you’re wary of a knife steel. The ceramic wheels guide the blade into making the right angle. Granulated sugar works just as well as sugar with added pectin (which sets faster) or preserving sugar (which leaves less scum on the surface of the liquid). Warm the sugar before adding it so it dissolves easily. A jam funnel has a wide mouth to fit…

SERVES 4 PREP 45 mins COOK 10 mins EASY 150g sushi rice 2 tsp rice wine vinegar 1/2 cucumber, cut into matchsticks 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 tbsp soy sauce 4 nori sheets 2 tsp wasabi paste 50g pickled ginger, finely chopped 1 lime, juiced 2 very ripe avocados, halved, stoned, peeled and sliced 200g sushi grade tuna steak (or freeze it yourself – see Health news, right), sliced small pack coriander, leaves picked 1 Put the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and massage to remove the starch. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a small saucepan, cover with 2.5cm of water and put on a tight-fitting lid. Simmer on a medium heat for 10 mins, then take off the…

Flippin’ grapefruit Cut the segments from 1 pink grapefruit over a bowl to catch the juices. Put the segments on a baking sheet and sprinkle over 1-2 tsp light brown sugar. Blowtorch or grill the fruit to caramelise the sugar. Sprinkle the reserved grapefruit juice over 4 folded pancakes, fill with the charred segments and sprinkle over more sugar, if you like. Pan-kalva Toast 50g pistachios, then finely chop. Combine 1 tsp rosewater, juice of1/2 orange,1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and 3 tbsp honey. Pour the mixture over 4 fresh pancakes, sprinkle with half the pistachios then fold them up. Dust with 1-2 tsp icing sugar. Sprinkle over the remaining pistachios before serving. Pancake gold Melt 100g white chocolate with 1 tsp coconut oil in a bowl set over a pan…

Willie’s Cacao hazelnut chocolate spread (300g), £7.99, willies cacao.com Beautifully rich, made from hazelnuts and Peruvian milk chocolate. Spread it on pancakes, use in a Valentine’s Day bake, or spoon it straight from the jar. Zhoug (170g), £3.99, Waitrose Could this Israeli paste be the new harissa? It’s a delicious blend of chilli, parsley, coriander and cloves. Try it swirled through yogurt, or as a marinade for chicken or fish. ChicP carrot & ginger & turmeric hummus, £2.50, ocado.com This houmous, made with imperfect fruit and veg, is sustainable and healthy, as it uses raw veg. There’s a range of flavours – our favourite is carrot, ginger & turmeric. British cassis (500ml), £20, whiteherondrinks.…

The rhubarb & custard SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins EASY Chambord, the raspberry & vanilla liqueur, combined with the tartness of rhubarb, produces a flavour that is reminiscent of the classic rhubarb & custard sweets. The blitzed sugar powder sticks together pretty fast, so just make a small batch as and when you need it. 10 rhubarb & custard boiled sweets 25ml Chambord 75ml cloudy apple juice 1/2 lime ice Longflint Rhubarb & Vodka Seltzer (or sparkling rhubarb with 25ml vodka added) 2 sprigs of mint 1 Blitz the boiled sweets in a food processor or pestle and mortar to create a sugar rim for the cocktail glasses. 2 Pour the Chambord into a cocktail shaker with the apple juice and a squeeze of lime. Shake with ice. 3 Take…

Bristol has great fresh food markets, in particular St Nick's, in the heart of the city, on a Wednesday. The Portuguese Taste stall does Portuguese custard tarts better than in Portugal (stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk). Smoked salmon from The Valley Smokehouse is the best you can buy, and it's produced just up the road from my pub (valleysmokehouse.com). Bath Harvest rapeseed oil is a relatively new product to us. It's got a really nice nuttiness. We use it all the time now, even in desserts (bathharvestoils.co.uk). For incredible charcuterie, I go to Castellano's, which uses local British pork (castellanos.co.uk). When I'm cooking at home, I buy veg from The Banana Boat in Totterdown, Bristol (thebananaboat.foodplaces.co.uk), and always visit Baked (bakedbristol.co.uk), next door, for fabulous sourdough. My favourite local…

4 FEB The Greater London Vegan Festival londonanimalfreefestival.com • 4 FEB Cardiff Viva! Vegan Festival viva.org.uk/festivals/cardiff-2017 • 12 FEB North East Vegan Festival, Sunderland northeastveganfestival.co.uk • 17-19 FEB Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink & Rhubarb wakefield.gov.uk • 17›19 FEB Gin Festival, London ginfestival.com • 18 FEB Bridgwater Food and Drink Festival, Somerset bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk • 18›26 FEB Rye Bay Scallop Week, East Sussex scallop.org.uk • 21›25 FEB CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival, Norwich nwaf.org.uk…

JULIE I saw an ad for Olio volunteers and signed up. I take photos of the food, and put them on the app with a timer to say when they need using up and where to collect them. There are drop boxes around town. It started in Sainsbury’s as part of a food-waste reduction scheme, but now there are boxes in local stores too. Olio has helped me to save money – some weeks I can save £10. SASHA The first thing I shared was beetroot from my garden. I was curious to see how the app worked, because I was brought up never to waste anything. I’ve realised there’s a community out there that feels the same. What I like about Olio is that it’s not a charity –…

One of the most pressing questions of my youth (once I’d sorted out the critical issue of Donny Osmond vs David Cassidy) was, if you were stuck on a desert island with only one food, what would it be? While my shallower friends opted for Wagon Wheels or Angel Delight, for me the answer had to be potatoes. On average, each person in Britain eats three spuds every day – but they are so entrenched in the fabric of British food culture that I worry we don’t give them enough applause. So here is my own little love letter to potatoes… Crisp sandwiches As if crisps aren’t wonderful enough, it turns out they’re even better between bread. When Belfast opened the UK’s first crisp sandwich café in 2015, its stock…

This set from Arthur Price has all the knives you need for everyday cooking. The solid beech block brings country style to your kitchen, while the five lightweight knives – including a chef’s knife, bread knife, slicing knife, utility knife and paring knife – have sleek black handles and stainless-steel blades. Exclusive offer for Good Food readers: just £69.99 (was £189) plus £4.95 p&p*. To order, send a cheque payable to JEM Marketing, with GF/0216 written on the back, stating the item required, to BBC Good Food Reader Offer, JEM House, Littlemead, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 8ND or call 01483 204455 quoting GF/0216 or visit jemdeals.com/ goodfood. Offer subject to availability. *Delivery to UK mainland only, some exclusions may apply.…

I love sharing platters of no-fuss food. For this menu I’ve kept the costs down and the pressure off by using cheap cuts of meat served alongside a big grain salad and flatbreads. The dishes can all be prepared ahead too, so you can relax and entertain your guests. Cassie Middle Eastern sharing menu Baked feta with sumac & grapes Lemony lamb meatballs with pine nuts Chicken wings with chilli & date caramel Barley & bulghar chopped herb salad Sesame flatbreads Rhubarb Tatin starter Baked feta with sumac & grapes £5.56 SERVES 6-8 as a starter PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V 1 small red onion, halved and sliced 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp golden caster sugar 350g red grapes, left on the stalk…

Henry Jeffreys is our wine expert and, along with the BBC Good Food team, tasted his way through over 100 wines to choose our Wine Club selection. Henry writes about wine for The Guardian and The Spectator, and on his blog, worldofbooze.wordpress.com. His first book, Empire of Booze, is out now. Find Henry’s tasting notes, including food pairings, for all the selected wines at bbcgoodfood.com/ wine-club. The Rustler Chenin Blanc 2016 The man behind this wine is Jack Bruce, from South Africa’s Flagstone winery. He excels in finding excellent-quality grapes at reasonable prices, to produce wines that offer stunning value for money. No wonder he was South Africa’s wine maker of the year in 2009. Did you know? The chenin blanc grape is originally from the Loire, but it is now…

Good Food contributing editor John Torode, the chef, food writer and TV presenter, has been a judge on BBC One’s MasterChef for 11 years. Each month he reinvents one of the most popular recipes from our website. @JohnTorode1 When I think chicken noodle soup, my culinary brain is always transported to Eastern Europe, where chicken soup is both a medicinal and celebratory dish. The Hungarians drop in little dumplings, while Jewish cooks add short vermicelli. This makeover, however, is all about South-east Asia, which is a joy because trying to make Jewish ‘penicillin’ any better would be almost impossible. Great Asian noodle broths are different to stocks. They are not boiled, but are instead gently infused, releasing the flavour of all the aromatics – similar to making a proper pot…

Chef Jon Parry’s approach to cooking is simple: respect everything, waste nothing. He’s always fermenting or pickling something, preserving the fruit, veg and herbs grown in the kitchen garden and orchard for use all year round. The Mash’s impressive open charcoal grill and main work station is in the dining room, so guests can wander up to chat while he’s working, and he often delivers plates to the table too. This approach is encouraged by owner Nick Mash, who bought the pub last year. He grew up locally and, after running gastropubs in north London, rescued the pub from closure, renovating it to include a dining room and five stylishly cosy bedrooms. It retains a relaxed and warm welcome – you can still just pop in for a pint and…

Good Food contributing editor Tom Kerridge is chef-owner of The Hand & Flowers and The Coach – both in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. His latest book, Tom Kerridge’s Dopamine Diet (£20, Absolute Press), is out this month. Each month Tom creates exclusive recipes for us. @ChefTomKerridge Baking is a dry-heat method of cooking. Traditionally it involved cooking on or under hot coals, whereas roasting was done over open flames. Now that both are done in the oven, they’re trickier to distinguish. Roasting generally means cooking solid foods like meat and vegetables in fat, often at high temperatures, until crisp and golden. Baking uses less or no cooking fat and mostly involves a change from liquid or soft solid to firm solid – soft bread dough to airy loaf; liquid cake batter to…

Great Britain’s youngest European gold medallist made his Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008 at the age of 14. He then won Olympic bronze at both London 2012 and Rio 2016. Tom, 22, lives in London and Los Angeles with his partner, American film director Dustin Lance Black. The recipe I grew up with – chicken, mozzarella & pesto filo parcels I love cooking: whenever my mum cooked, I wanted to get involved. These filo parcels (below) were one of the first things I ever learnt to cook. Then, because I was travelling away from home from such a young age, she taught me how to make chicken & broccoli pasta bake. Many recipes bring back memories of family meals. I have two brothers, William and Ben, now 20 and…

If any small city in the UK was blessed with as many restaurants as La Rochelle, it would become a place of fevered foodie pilgrimage. Here, streets bristle with bistro after bistro, brasseries, bars and many, many seafood specialists. The locals deal with this bounty with a small so-what shrug: why wouldn’t we? But for us Brits, it would be as though Watford suddenly sprouted as many places to eat out as central London. We’re staying at the traditionally comfortable Hotel Champlain (hotelchamplain.com), perfect for exploring the ancient, porticoed streets. How to choose from La Ville Blanche’s riches? There’s everything from Michelin stars to converted boats selling fried seafood by the waterfront. The most heavily populated restaurant areas, by the Vieux Port, is dominated by two imposing medieval towers, Tour…

1 Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb From 17-19 February, celebrate the heritage of this quirky pink vegetable. The festival includes live demonstrations and workshops from local food and drink producers, showcasing rhubarb’s importance to the local economy. 2 bite-sized snack with a difference Sunbites are a delicious wavy snack packed with wholegrains, and they’re full of delicious natural flavours, including sun-ripened sweet chilli or sour cream & black pepper. 3 Spice up a seasonal chutney No hearty winter cheese board is complete without a spicy chutney and, for a bit of extra heat, why not go for a scrumptious tomato and chilli? Everyone has their own personal spice level, but jalapeños have a perfect all-round flavour. 4 Rye Bay Scallop Week, Rye, East Sussex Now in its 15th…

BEST ETHICAL CHOICE GreenPan Venice Pro, £45, greenpan.com Most modern non-stick coatings are free from toxic chemicals, but Greenpan’s Thermolon ceramic coating is worth shouting about. It is free from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – a man-made chemical that is traditionally used as a non-stick coating and has been linked to adverse health effects. Happily, this pan also has excellent non-stick credentials, it is good value for money and it cooks evenly too. BEST BLOWOUT Scanpan CTX, £119, inthehaus.co.uk Danish cookware titan Scanpan excels in pans with excellent non-stick qualities that last. This ceramic pan is sturdy but still lightweight, with a well-shaped, comfortable handle. It survived the Good Food drop test, despite being one of the lighter pans we tried. BEST FOR OVEN COOKING…

STAR LETTER My sister and I have been veggie for just over a year now, and your magazine has been so helpful for keeping us from eating the same meals over and over. I’ve just finished reading this month’s issue and it’s now full of folded corners, marking all the dishes I’m going to copy into my recipe book! Kendal Delaney, Stirlingshire Kendal wins 12 bottles of Villa Maria Private Bin Rosé 2016 (£10.30, Wine Rack), which has bright floral aromas, and red fruit and spice flavours. Villa Maria’s head winemaker, Nick Picone, suggests matching this lively, fresh rosé with zesty oriental food. @iain_baxter Iain served these halloumi fries (Dec 2016) with harissa & lemon yogurt for a delicious dinner party starter. @aicawthron Our full English shakshuka (Dec…

SERVES 6 PREP 45 mins COOK 1 hr 5 mins EASY 3 eggs (at room temperature) 50g butter, plus extra to serve 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle 2 onions, chopped 50g plain flour 600ml milk small bunch flat-leaf parsley 6 small cornichons (about 2 tbsp), rinsed and finely chopped 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and finely chopped 1 lemon, zested and juiced 800g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper 600g skinless and boneless haddock, cut into chunks 1 tbsp malt vinegar 200g frozen peas 1 Boil the eggs for 7 mins, then plunge straight into cold water and set aside to cool. 2 Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the oil and onions. Cook for 5 mins or until soft. Stir in the flour for 1…