Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 i Good Food

Chances are there won’t be quite enough chairs, the plates won’t match and someone will be drinking fizz from a tumbler – feeding a crowd is all the better when it’s a laid-back affair. This issue we’re all about sharing a big, relaxed meal with a bunch of friends and family, gathering everyone around the table to eat something special but familiar, a sizzling roast that fills the kitchen with warmth and enticing smells. At this time of year it’s also a treat for someone else to do the cooking. Our GF Eats Out events across the country are a fun way to meet fellow foodies and top chefs, and share world-class food and wine – and we’d love you to become part of it. This month we’re at Raymond…

Solo Food by Janneke Vreugdenhil (£16.99, HQ) After separating from her husband, Janneke, a food writer from the Netherlands, found herself struggling to find the motivation to cook and lived off ‘pasta with gloop’. Determined to start taking care of herself, she rediscovered the joy of cooking. Her healthy and interesting recipes – from soft polenta with mushrooms & spinach to warm lentil salad with grilled goat’s cheese – and honest, funny writing make this a brilliant book for anyone cooking for one. Must-try recipe Quick aubergine & lamb curry with warm naans. At My Table by Nigella Lawson (£26, Chatto & Windus) Nigella is adamant that she’s a home cook, not a chef, and this book is a celebration of good, simple food. To emphasise…

HAVE A VEGGIE CHRISTMAS Plan ahead with over 100 festive recipes. From our vegan Christmas menu to New Year’s Eve nibbles, we’ve got everything covered. On sale now. £3.90 GF SHOWS Discover a BBC Good Food Show near you – find out more on page 92. Readers save 30% on tickets! GOOD FOOD ON YOUR PHONE OR TABLET Download our interactive app at the Apple App Store. HOW-TO VIDEOS Sharpen your skills with our cookery videos. Find over 200 recipes and techniques at bbcgood food.com/feature/videos.…

Christmas gingerbread penguins Decorated biscuits are not as difficult to make as you might think. This gingerbread recipe is a cinch, and you can buy ready-made coloured icing in supermarkets. By following the picture, you can create penguins with very little effort, and although the decoratation does take a while, if you get a production line going, it’s not so bad, and is well worth the time. This recipe is for a big batch of biscuits, but you can easily halve the quantities to make fewer, if you like. MAKES 28 PREP 2 hrs plus at least 2hrs chilling and overnight setting COOK 35 mins EASY V * unbaked dough only 75g golden syrup 30ml orange juice 100g molasses sugar 1 tbsp ground ginger 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp…

Possibly the loveliest gift you can give this year: a pretty jar containing almost everything you need to make 24 malty white chocolate & cranberry Christmas biscuits. To make things easier, I’ve done the measurements in cups. You can use any size cup – just make sure you use the the same one for all the ingredients. These layers should bring you to the top of a 1-litre Kilner jar. Just print the label (right), stick it on, pop a ribbon round the top and you should find that Bob is genuinely your uncle. PER BISCUIT 173 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 5g • carbs 21g • sugars 13g • fibre 2g • protein 3g • salt 0.8g LAYER 1 1 cup of wholemeal flour with 1 tsp of…

Choose a bird that’s going to be the right size for you and your family – nobody wants to be eating turkey for days after the festivities (though a turkey and cranberry relish sandwich on soft white bloomer is lovely). I would recommend a free-range bird and, this year, we’ll be using a Yorkshire Dales herb-fed turkey at Simpson’s in the Strand. Decide what sides you would like with your turkey – these extra bits can mean a few logistical tweaks, unless you’re lucky enough to have two ovens. To calculate roasting times, visit bbcgoodfood.com/ roast-times. SERVES 5-6 PREP 10 mins plus at least 11/2 hrs resting COOK 3 hrs EASY 4.5kg free-range turkey 25g sage 25g thyme 20g garlic cloves 2 medium onions, halved olive oil, clarified butter or dripping,…

We tend to think of cheesecake in terms of summer flavours and berries, but this festive version proves that winter fruit and spices also work well. I love this recipe because it’s seasonal, it easily feeds a house full of people and it can be dressed up or down to be as fancy or casual as you want it to be. Spiced apple cheesecake You can use pear wedges or fresh pineapple chunks instead of the apple, if you like. SERVES 12 PREP 30 mins plus overnight chilling COOK 10 mins EASY V * for the base 100g butter, melted, plus extra for tin 250g ginger nuts 100g stem ginger in syrup, drained and chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger for the cheesecake cream 600g cream cheese…

Ingredients in-depth: Christmas citrus They add a juicy freshness to winter puddings and make great stocking fillers, but what's the difference between tangerines, clementines and satsumas? For a start, all three are types of mandarin, but only a tangerine is sometimes called a mandarin. Tangerine – tangerines have loose, easy-to-peel skin and contain pips. They have the sharpest flavour of the three. Clementine – the smallest of the three, they are rounder and sweeter, with a smooth reddish skin. Sometimes sold with leaves on, clementines are a seedless cross between an orange and a tangerine. Satsuma – these are seedless, have the palest skin of the three, are super easy to peel and have the least amount of pith. Satsumas are also the sweetest, but they bruise easily, so may…

BEST EVERYDAY Ally Capellino for Tate canvas apron £40 tate.org.uk This canvas apron occupies the happy middle ground between modish, hard-wearing workwear aprons and fabric kitchen aprons. The dark colour and the fact that it’s machine washable ensure this apron is still practical for everyday use, and the lightweight material means it's comfortable too, with an adjustable neck strap. BEST FOR OUTDOOR COOKING Carhartt duck apron £32.95 ruffntuffclothing.co.uk This versatile and resilient heavy-duty canvas apron is not a kitchen product, strictly speaking. However, its durability means it’s well suited to tasks involving messy ingredients, such as charcoal cooking, home brewing or butchery. It’s one of the larger aprons we tested, so may be better for tall cooks, but it is adjustable. The apron has lots of…

AIZLE There’s no menu at this modern bistro in the vibrant Southside neighbourhood, just a blackboard of 20 monthly changing seasonal ingredients. Tell your waiter if there’s anything you can’t eat, then settle in for five courses of sophisticated food. Most of the produce is Scottish, but expect Asian influences too like katsuboshi (dried tuna flakes) that seem to dance around its accompanying sea bream as fish velouté is poured over. Five courses for £45. aizle.co.uk SO BABA The people behind Glasgow restaurant Ox and Finch have brought their globetrotting culinary style to this Levantine-inspired brasserie. Scottish nose-to-tail dining meets the Yemen in a take on a shawarma kebab made with cuts from Scotch lamb cooked on a charcoal robata rotisserie grill and served with pitta, tabbouleh, pickles, harissa and zhug…

star letter I read Joanna Blythman’s article on ‘supersized sweets’ (October). In the piece, she speaks about how bakes and cakes in tea shops and cafés have ballooned in size recently, which is strange considering that we should all be trying to cut down on our sugar intake, not double it. Well said, Joanna! I agree entirely with her views. It’s a much-needed perspective, to stop us all from rotting our teeth and risking diabetes and other problems in the future. John Robinson, Burgess Hill John wins 4 bottles of Taittinger Brut Réserve NV (£36, widely available) to add sparkle and elegance to the festive season. Made with a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier grapes, this signature cuvée defines the Taittinger house style – dry, light and graceful…

Hot mocha puddings It only takes a few minutes to mix, microwave and top these hot chocolate puds with ice cream and liqueur for a rich, indulgent dessert. SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins plus standing EASY V * 150ml milk 50g pitted prunes 2 tsp instant coffee 50g soft butter 50g icing sugar 1 large egg 50g ground almonds 2 tbsp cocoa 1 tbsp self-raising flour 4 scoops coffee or vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional) 4 tsp coffee liqueur, to serve (optional) 1 Blend the milk with the prunes and coffee in a food processor until smooth. Add the butter, sugar, egg, almonds, cocoa, flour and a pinch of salt, then blitz again to make a thick batter. 2 Scrape evenly and cleanly (don’t take the…

Bread & butter pudding with Pedro Ximénez SERVES 6 PREP 25 mins COOK 45 mins plus cooling and soaking time EASY 100g raisins 100ml Pedro Ximénez or very sweet sherry butter, for spreading and greasing 6 slices of brioche or plain panettone 1 orange, zested 1 tsp cinnamon 4 eggs 50g soft light brown sugar 350ml whole milk 150ml double cream 1 tbsp demerara sugar 1 Put the raisins in a small saucepan and cover them with the sherry. Heat gently until the sherry is almost at boiling point, then remove the pan from the heat and leave the raisins to cool. They should absorb most of the sherry and plump up nicely. Strain the raisins, making sure you reserve any juices. 2 Generously butter a 1.5-litre oven dish. Butter…

Mai Tai The Mai Tai is one of those drinks that of us only order when we’re in a far-flung beach bar or a cheesy nightclub. Which is shame, because this icon of Tiki culture is one of the finest rum cocktails. It deserves be taken more seriously. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY 40ml golden rum 10ml overproof rum (we used Wray & Nephew) 12.5ml orange cognac liqueur (we used Grand Marnier) 20ml lime juice 5ml orgeat almond syrup 5ml 2:1 sugar syrup (see tip, below) ice for the garnish pineapple chunks, a mint sprig, a cherry, a lime wedge Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish and serve. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER COCKTAIL 187 kcals • fat none…

1 Make it sparkly…of course! Love prosecco? Love sparkles? Well then this one’s for you. You can now add iridescent shimmer to your favourite tipple – perfect for party season. Find edible cocktail shimmer by Popaball at Lakeland (£7.49). 2 Try hibiscus flowers Add a touch of elegance to a glass of champagne or prosecco by placing a hibiscus flower in the glass, topping up with the champagne, then adding a drizzle of the syrup from the jar. Not only will your drink turn a subtle, attractive pink, the bubbles will also open up the petals so the flower is in full bloom. Find wild hibiscus flowers at souschef.co.uk (£8.95 for a 250g jar). 3 Add pearls First sparkles… now pearls! You can now add these pearly ‘bursting bubbles’ to…

Chefs’ reputations can be won (or lost) on how they treat meat – a clever tweak to a familiar favourite can take a roast from great to extraordinary. Our five chefs have added a twist to each of these recipes to do just that. Anticipation accompanies a roast, and your guests will be looking forward to a joint with the perfect texture and flavour. Cook these recipes, and you won’t disappoint them. A rib of beef is the king of meats, rich in flavour and history (the French don’t call Brits ‘les rosbifs’ for nothing), and this Christmas, Tom Kerridge advocates slow-roasting a rib scented with herbs. Ham, the other Christmas meat, is made over by new-kid-on-the-block Tommy Banks, chef-patron of the Black Swan in Yorkshire, who adds a magic…

Reindeer & snowman bark Stick to the plan or make up your own Christmas decorations for this – go mad, it’s Christmas! Cut rather than snap the chocolate into pieces, or your reindeer may end up losing an antler. SERVES 12 PREP 20 mins plus setting COOK 5 mins EASY 100g milk chocolate, chopped 100g dark chocolate, chopped 7 red smarties 8-10 small pretzels 22 white mini marshmallows 1 red jelly shoe lace, cut into lengths sprinkles and stars black food writing pen 1 Line a baking tin with baking parchment. Heat both chocolates in separate bowls in the microwave in 30-sec blasts, or over pans of simmering water. Pour the dark chocolate into the baking tin, then pour the milk chocolate on top in a trail. Spread the chocolate…

1 Instant everything Afiordable delivery will transform how we eat, says Craig Wills: ‘With delivery services such as Quiqup (quiqup.com), you could get a picnic delivered in Hyde Park.’ 2 Pan-ic over Smart-pans such as Pantelligent (US-only, $129, pantelligent.com), whose temperature sensors link to a prompt app on your phone, could mean an end to dry salmon. 3 The icing on the cake Augmented reality phone apps allow you to insert imagery into real life. For instance, In The Kitchen, an app from Food Network (foodnetwork.com), you can test out decorations on just-baked cupcakes. 4 Bee bots You want your apple tree to pollinate? Then we need more bees; possibly self-piloting robot-bees. Critics say it’s bonkers, but evangelists are buzzing about these prototype micro-drones. 5 Bakery hack Bosch’s intelligent Optimum…

Will 2018 be the year the prosecco bubble bursts? Is liver due a revival? Could this be the year plant-based dining comes of age? As 2017 ends, we are all attempting to predict how 2018 will pan out. But beyond such forecasting, how would I personally like to see British food improve? Here’s my wish list... The no-shows can’t go on If you book at a cool local ( demanding your credit card details), and, suddenly, you can’t make it: phone to cancel. Let them fill that table. It’s good manners, but, more than that, seats left empty by no-shows are killing dedicated chef-owners. The no-show should become a strict no-no. Leaf it out! No dish needs prettifying with pea shoots, ornamental chives, or decorative fruits. As someone who, in…

“My sons love eating mince with potatoes but will balk if you happen to refer to it as shepherd’s pie” Alexander Armstrong, 47, presents Pointless on BBC One with Richard Osman. He found fame as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller (with Ben Miller). In 1996, their sketch show was nominated for a Perrier Award at Edinburgh Festival, and their TV show won the 2010 best comedy BAFTA. Alexander has released two top 10 albums, A Year of Songs and Upon a Different Shore , and has just released a Christmas album, In a Winter Light . He lives in Oxford with wife Hannah, and their four sons, Rex, 10, Paddy, eight, Edward,…

With winter truly upon us, a comforting bowl of soup is the perfect meal to come home to. And whether you prefer your soup to be nice and smooth as the spoon glides through it, or full of chunky goodness, it absolutely has to be full of flavour. Thanks to new OXO Ready To Use Stock, making your best bowl of soup yet has never been more convenient. The stock is available in three delicious flavours: Succulent Free-Range Chicken, Tasty Vegetable and Rich Farm-Bred Beef, the latter of which works perfectly in this tempting Chinese five-spice beef soup. Chunky Chinese five-spice beef soup SERVES 4 • PREP 20 mins • COOK 20 mins • EASY 2 rump steaks, 300g each 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder 1½ tbsp oil 4 garlic…

Fish pie with pea & dill mash The peas, dill and lemon in the mash add plenty of flavour and contribute to your 5-a-day. Serve with steamed Tenderstem broccoli or spinach and you can increase your veg portions to three. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 55 mins EASY * 375g potatoes, cut into chunks 175g leeks, thickly sliced 160g frozen peas 2 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche ½ lemon, zested and juiced 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill ½ tsp vegetable bouillon powder 100g cherry tomatoes, halved 250g skinless cod loin, cut into large chunks 50g Atlantic prawns (thawed if frozen) veg, to serve (optional) 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10 mins, with the leeks in a covered steamer…

Team Tom Kerridge do lots of bespoke pop-up events throughout the year. We bring our style of food to loads more people than you could fit in all three of my pubs, and they often all need serving at the same time! The secret to feeding large groups while still maintaining my exacting standards is to choose dishes that can be made ahead and are easy to serve. The same applies to feeding a crowd of people at Christmas. Nothing is easier to serve than a slice of loaf, so here I’ve made three different loaf-tin recipes for three different Christmas events, all of which are easy to make, serve and transport. Last-minute Christmas loaf cake Here’s my go-to Christmas cake recipe. It tastes just as good when made on…

NIGEL SLATER'S Cranberry butterscotch pudding ‘A light, brown-sugar sponge pudding with sharp fruits and creamy, butterscotch notes. Sticky without being heavy. You’ll need a jug of cream, or better still, vanilla ice cream.’ SERVES 6 (good cold too) PREP 15 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V 180g dried apricots 50g fresh or frozen cranberries 200ml boiling water 100g butter 150g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 100g light muscovado sugar 1 egg for the sauce 100g light muscovado sugar 125ml double cream 70g butter 1 tbsp maple syrup 100g cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C/gas 4. Cut the apricots into small pieces and put them in a heatproof mixing bowl. Add the cranberries and pour the boiling water over. Set aside while you make the pudding.…

Baba Budan Choose from a regularly changing selection of light and fluffy doughnuts (chocolate and plum is a must) at this café set in an arch near Waverley Station. bababudan.co.uk Lupe Pintos An Edinburgh institution, this chilli and spice shop stocks everything you need to make an authentic Mexican meal, along with hard-to-find American and Spanish produce. lupepintos.com Bakery Andante This Morningside artisan bakery makes the best sourdough in the city. bakeryandante.co.uk Stockbridge Market The Sunday market in the chic Stockbridge neighbourhood includes street food and specialist traders such as Oxenfoord Organics, a Midlothian fruit and veg farm. stockbridgemarket.com The Food and Flea A daily city-centre street food market where traders include Barnacles & Bones who serve shellfish and lesser-known cuts of meat, all from Scotland. thepitt.co.uk…

Snugburys is a family-run ice cream farm shop where you can scoop up nearly 40 different flavours. The ice cream is entirely home made, down to the pieces of chocolate brownie and salted caramel sauces they use. They also offer seasonal flavours, such as amaretto and Christmas pudding, so even when the weather is cold, it’s worth visiting to enjoy a stroll in the cobbled courtyard, cone in hand. Know somewhere good in your area? A restaurant, a market, a great deli? Tell us what makes it stand out, by using the hashtag #gfeatsout on Facebook or Twitter, and you could be featured in the next issue.…

Chorizo & chilli pepper penne SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY 200g penne ½ tbsp olive oil 100g chorizo, skin removed, cut into chunks 400g can cherry tomatoes 2-3 pickled chilli peppers, sliced on an angle ½ 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. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for a few mins until the oils have been released, then add the cherry tomatoes, a pinch of sugar and some seasoning. Bubble away for 5 mins, then drain the pasta, toss it…

KALE Kale with chana & coconut This recipe is a hybrid of two side dishes, chana (chickpea) masala and saag bhaji – spiced greens topped with sizzled garlic. SERVES 2 as a main, 4 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 1 tbsp butter 1 onion, finely chopped thumb-sized piece ginger, grated 2 heaped tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp each turmeric and ground coriander 2 tbsp tomato purée 200g kale, large stalks removed, leaves finely shredded 400g can chickpeas, drained 250ml vegetable stock 50g fresh coconut, grated 4 heaped tbsp Greek-style yogurt 1 tbsp mango chutney for the sizzled garlic 1 tbsp vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 tbsp freeze-dried curry leaves (optional) 1 Heat the butter in a deep frying pan. Add the…

Simple nutty pancakes Ready in a flash, these nutty pancakes will keep you full all morning. The recipe can also be easily doubled. MAKES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V 150g self-raising flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 large egg 150ml milk 2 tbsp agave syrup, plus extra to serve 50g mixed nuts, chopped 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, for frying 1 Put the flour and baking powder in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, then add the egg, milk and agave. Whisk until smooth, then fold in half the nuts. 2 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Spoon two ladles of the mixture into the pan and cook for 1 min each side.…

Christmas stinks. Wait, I’m not being mean, but so much about this time of year is about scent. From that first whiff of cinnamon sticks when the decorations come out of the loft to a new batch of gingerbread fresh from the oven, we’re off in a month-long haze of festive fragrances. The mix I have here is a good base recipe to start with, but do make it your own. If your favourite festive moments include candles and Christmas markets, try adding a pinch of black pepper and using smoked salt instead of sea salt. Or, if you prefer it sweeter, substitute one teaspoon of the coriander for extra cinnamon. We’ve seen festive spices in everything from mince pies to shower gel. I’ve not gone as far as cosmetics,…

Standard roasting tin with pouring lip (39 x 25.5cm), £11.99, Lakeland Made from thick carbon steel, this robust roasting tin has a double layered non-stick surface and textured base, allowing air to circulate around food to ensure crisp and even cooking. There’s a handy pouring lip for draining fat or collecting meat juices to make gravy, and the handles are comfortable. Its slightly smaller size makes it great for two people, but it’s available in larger sizes too. Cleaning also couldn’t be simpler – it’s dishwasher safe! Scanpan classic roasting tin (39 x 27cm), £85, trouva.com Sturdy, heavy duty, and incredibly non-stick, this roasting tin will stand the test of time. With no grooved edges or protruding handles, it’s easy to clean and store. Its ceramic titanium…

Harrods Zambian honey (£25) tastes like no honey I have ever tasted before. Complex flavours and a deep elusive sweet note, it’s perfect on a slice of freshly toasted sourdough. I love simple things done really well, so Harrods’ signature sourdough (from £3) is one of my favourites. It’s baked fresh in store, every day, using a bespoke starter nurtured by Harrods Master baker Lance Gardner using a mix of wholemeal and white flour from Shipton Mill. It comes in a beautiful bread bag and the loaf can be personalised, so it makes a perfect gift when visiting friends and family over the holidays. Our Chef of the Season, Hélène Darroze, has created a range of quintessentially French take-home dishes exclusively for Harrods (from £2.50). My personal favourite is the…

MARY, MEL AND SUE’S SURPRISE PARTY Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins reunite for a heartwarming special this Christmas on BBC One. The former Bake Off threesome surprise a group of hardworking volunteers in South Wales by giving their community centre a makeover and treating the locals to a spectacular Christmas dinner. THE FOOD PROGRAMME On Christmas Eve, Sheila Dillon invites some of her favourite chefs and food writers to a Christmas dinner at her London home. Each guest is bringing a dish, ingredient or drink that encapsulates the festive spirit. Naturally, on the menu too are seasonal food stories, tips and a Christmas kitchen secret or two. 24 December at 12.30pm (repeated Christmas Day at 3.30pm). Kathryn Custance…

“Grenache is fruity enough and spicy enough to take on the cacophony of flavours on the Christmas table” Hands down, the most festive grape of them all is grenache. It can lock away the sultry heat of summer sunshine, so it’s perfect poured into your glass on a cold winter night. It makes wine that has a sumptuous quality, like crushed crimson velvet; that tastes like confit of red berries, and that has a teasing flare of alcohol that dances up and warms you even as you raise the glass to your lips. It wouldn’t feel like Christmas to me if I didn’t have grenache stowed somewhere in the house. This evocative grape is found around the world but three places are particularly worth knowing about. Grenache is the most…

his is a super-clever recipe for those occasions when you need an exciting canapé but could do without the faff. Everyone will ask the secret of your crunchy pastry – and the secret is, it isn’t pastry at all. Slices of bread are moulded into a tartlet tin, and bake up into delicious tart bases. I leave it up to you whether or not you disclose to your guests how you did it, but I think an element of mystery adds to a dish. You can make the mushroom mixture a day ahead, and assemble the tartlets an hour or two ahead, then chill until needed. Caramelised mushroom tartlets MAKES 12 tartlets PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp golden…

I never ate at restaurants as a child. Well, my dad ran restaurants so I ate at his, but I never walked into one, sat at a table and ate a meal a proper . time I ever went to a restaurant without my dad somewhere in sight was when I got married. I watched my husband and pretended I was allowing him to woo me. In truth, I didn’t have a clue what was going on and didn’t want him to find out! Life can be so busy, and eating out can offer an opportunity for valuable family time. But eating out when you have kids is a big step, and if they’re young, it is has to be a well-organised operation. We’ve become a well-oiled machine after years…

 ome big global food companies, backed by wealthy investors such as Bill Gates and Richard Branson, are predicting a global revolution in the way we eat. ‘I believe that in 30 years or so we will no longer need to kill any animals and that all meat will either be clean or plant-based’, says Mr Branson. “A type of iron found in soybean plants gives the fake meat a ‘bloody’ meat-like taste” What does he mean? There are two propositions on the table at the moment. The first, no-death or ‘clean’ meat, is still at the experimentation stage. The idea is to extract stem cells from live animals or butchered meat, culture them in either serum from cow’s blood, or another type of protein and sugar, where they will multiply…

Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, 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. He is also a judge in the Best Drinks Producer category for the BBC Food and Farming Awards. 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. Piteira Xisto Preto Douro 2015 The name means black schist referring to the soil in the Douro valley. This is port country but it is rapidly becoming famous for its table wines. The native grapes, Touriga Nacional, Franca, Tinta Roriz and Barroca, give this wine a distinctive aromatic note to…

Caffeine kick Coffee fans rejoice! A morning cup of your favourite brew can give your workout a boost. ‘Research continues to show that caffeine before exercise can improve performance by reducing the perceived exertion,’ says James Collins, performance nutritionist. ‘Everyone has an individual response to caffeine, so make sure you experiment with a cup in training before trying this on the day of an event or race.’ Discover more at bbcgoodfood.com/  sports-nutrition-worth-trying Dairy-free iodine sources In the UK, dairy products are one of our main sources of iodine, which is vital to metabolism. Research suggests that plant-based milks, such as soya, almond, oat and rice, contain only 2% of the iodine found in cow’s milk. If you don’t eat dairy, alternative sources include fish – in…

More and more, when I find myself cooking for friends and family, which is pretty often (but then again I did sort of make the rod for my own back with that one), I’ll opt for a sharing-style dish. Not only do such dishes make my life easier because I can just concentrate on a couple of nice, abundant family- style servings rather than lots of little intricate plates, it’s just such a nice way to eat. Sharing food at this time of year, when it’s dark and cold outside, feels right. It brings people together around the table and gets good conversations going (and the odd squabble if, like me, your people are greedy). Whether it’s a simple, warming weeknight soup or an opulent seasonal dessert, these dishes are…

It’s 23 December and I’ve just arrived home in Northern Ireland. It’s always good to be back. I particularly enjoy the first meal when I get in from the airport: a platter of wheaten bread, already buttered and topped with smoked salmon, and my mum’s chicken soup with cold white wine. But when I go home for Christmas the house feels fuller than usual; not of people, and not just with anticipation, but with cooking. The ham is usually soaking. A pot of stock simmers on the hob. There’s a full fridge, full cupboards, the vegetable drawer is well stocked. I go around checking in case there’s anything we need to get on Christmas Eve. There are never enough parsnips (note to self to get more. I always feel a…

A good roast should embrace our heritage sheep, cattle and pig breeds – they taste amazing and ensure we maintain biodiversity within our green and pleasant land. 1 LOOK FOR MEAT FROM NAMED BREEDS Buying meat from an animal of a UK heritage breed that had pedigree parents is best. It guarantees you are buying what it says on the pack, helps to maintain the breed, and, if it is beef or lamb, which will have most likely been grass fed, helps to maintain the beautiful green countryside. 2 PERFECT PORK Typically, heritage pig breeds take twice the time to mature and are better suited to living outdoors. All 11 breeds, such as the British Lop, Tamworth and Gloucestershire Old Spots, deliver more flavour than you can normally buy. Worryingly,…

Fine dining in Poland? I confess to being a bit sceptical. But bear with me: the Polish capital is currently germinating a dining scene that’s as exhilarating as anything I’ve seen in years. There’s a sense of palpable excitement in the air right now. But I’m not going to sugar coat things: you need to be in the know. The city’s culinary gems aren’t flaunting themselves in the pastel-coloured squares of the much photographed Old Town or nudging up to the Ferrari concessions or Louis Vuitton stores of the Nowy Świat district. They’re more likely to be hunkering under anonymous blocks of flats, or nesting in repurposed loos. Fortunately, we have food journalist and Warsaw expert Malgorzata Minta (mintaeats.com) primed to show us the best of the city: she knows…

Japanese ramen noodle soup SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY 700ml chicken stock 3 garlic cloves, halved 4 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to season 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice pinch of chilli powder 1 tsp white sugar (optional) 375g ramen noodles 400g sliced cooked pork or chicken breast 2 tsp sesame oil for the garnish 100g baby spinach 4 tbsp sweet corn 4 boiled eggs, peeled and halved 1 sheet dried nori, finely shredded sliced green spring onions or shallots sprinkle of sesame seeds 1 Mix the chicken stock, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, five spice, chilli powder and 300ml water in a stockpot or large saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and…

Chicken & leek pot pies MAKES 4 small pies PREP 15 mins COOK 55 mins (1 hr 10 mins from frozen) EASY * 25g butter 3 leeks, washed and sliced 350g tub fresh cheese sauce ½ bunch chives, snipped 200g cooked chicken, torn 3 tbsp milk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 320g pack shortcrust pastry plain flour, for dusting 1 large egg, beaten green veg, to serve (optional) 1 Melt the butter in a large pan, then add the leeks and cook, covered, for 10 mins until really soft. Remove from the heat and stir through the cheese sauce, chives, chicken, milk and mustard. Mix well and spoon into small dishes or ramekins. 2 Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a saucer to cut circles for the tops,…

Spinach, sweet potato & lentil dhal A vegan one-pot that contains 3 of your 5-a-day! You can’t go wrong with this iron-rich, low-fat, low-calorie supper. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V * 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 ½ tsp ground cumin 2 sweet potatoes (about 400g), cut into even chunks 250g red split lentils 600ml vegetable stock 80g bag spinach 4 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal, to serve ½ small pack basil, leaves torn, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a wide-based pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10…