Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Good Food

Thrifty, budget and penny-pinching are hardly words to inspire imaginative cooking. But some clever choices can make the simplest ingredients sing. Here’s how you can benefit from our cheap as chips issue: 1 Cheap cuts can be transformed into something special. Our cover recipe (p24) is proof that you don’t have to spend a lot to give your dish great flavour. 2 Making meals for one needn’t be wasteful or costly. Our dhal, pie and ramen recipes taste a million dollars but cost less than £1.50. 3 Our columnist Victoria Moore shows how you can spend £7 and pour a world class wine into your glass – find out which one on page 34. 4 Love is… a simple winter picnic: Emma Freud’s brandy-fuelled £15 menu beats an overpriced restaurant…

SHERRY It might conjure memories of your gran at Christmas, but these days sherry is considered hip again! Majestic Wine have noted an increase in sales of premium sherries, which they put down to the rise of trendy tapas bars and interest from hipsters. Turn to p34 for more on sherry. FONDUE Hot, gooey, melted cheese for dipping – we’re wondering how this 70s classic ever went out of fashion? Well the good news is, it’s back. We’ve seen fondue on offer at various restaurants this winter, and you’ll find fondue-specific cheeses at supermarkets too. RETRO REVIVAL It’s not just fondue making a comeback from the 70s – online retailer Ocado recently revealed that sales of other retro classics like prawn cocktail and Vienetta have increased by over 30% in…

CLASSIC MARY BERRY Put the fermented veg and quinoa back in the cupboard; it’s time for a spot of classic cooking this month with Mary Berry. She may sneak in the odd modern favourite, but it’s old friends like prawn cocktail, slow-cooked lamb and raspberry mousse which we want at our dinner table. Starts in February on BBC One. THE FINEST IN THE DELI: YORKSHIRE’S CHOICE With the current artisan food renaissance in Britain, Tom Kerridge’s new competition is bang on trend. Tom, restaurateur Nisha Katona, artisan expert Alison Swan Parente and the public decide which producers deserve space on the deli shelf. Starts 6 February on BBC Two. Kathryn Custance…

Jack is curator of food and drink at Not on The High Street (notonthehighstreet.com). Having worked in the sector for years, he has a keen eye for foodie gifts. @notonthehighst For the tea enthusiast Breakfast Tea Gift Set, £26, goodandpropertea.com What better wayto kick start Valentine’s Day than with a cup of tea? This breakfast tea gift set is beautifully packaged and filled with perfectly blended teas. For the coffee nerd Pour over coffee drip brewer, £106, Audenza I am a bit of a coffee snob, and I am besotted with this beautiful pour over coffee dripper. For the cocktail lover Set of two deco cocktail glasses, £18, theforestandco.com A stylish cocktail needs stylish glassware. These art deco-inspired glasses are…

Spicy, sweet and aromatic, an old fashioned is one of the finest ways to savour a good whiskey. The key is getting dilution right – you need to coax just enough water from the ice to open up the whiskey without making the drink watery. That’s why the slow, gentle stirring is so important. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V 50ml bourbon or rye whiskey ice 5ml 2:1 sugar syrup (see tip, below) 2 dashes Angostura bitters orange or lemon zest to garnish (lemon for rye whiskey, orange for bourbon) 1 Add half the whiskey and 2 ice cubes to a rocks glass. Stir. Add the sugar syrup, Angostura bitters and 2 more ice cubes. Stir. Add the rest of the whiskey and 2 more ice cubes.…

Eating together the Italian way – the sharing of good homemade food, paired with flowing wine and conversation – seems to me the perfect way to spend time with friends and family. It was this ideal that inspired my feasting menu, starting with a beautiful and bitter radicchio salad, then the obligatory pasta course, followed by a hearty short rib stew, before finishing with baci di dama, buttery hazelnut shortbread filled with dark chocolate, served with strong coffee. Gather your loved ones around the table for a traditional northern Italian dinner. Beef in barolo Using a fatty cut of beef, such as short ribs, enriches this delicious and indulgent slow-cooked stew. Warming and unctuous, this dish exudes the richness of northern Italian cuisine. To further intensify the flavours, it’s well…

Pick & mix omelette with crunchy croutons Adding texture to an omelette in the form of croutons makes it a more exciting supper. This recipe is a good way of using up sandwich fillings left over from packed lunch prep. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY 1 thick slice bread, cut into small cubes 1 tbsp olive oil 2 eggs 2 tbsp grated cheese your choice of 1 slice ham, 1 slice chicken, 2 slices salami, 2 slices chorizo, or a handful prawns your choice of a handful quartered cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp drained sweetcorn, 2 tbsp defrosted frozen peas, or a handful rocket salad, to serve 1 Heat1/2 tbsp oil in a small non-stick frying pan. Add the bread, toss it around and fry over a…

As a Northerner of solid working-class stock, naturally I prize value for money. That attitude has only strengthened during my time writing about food (eight years of which I spent eating over 1,000 sub-£10 meals for The Guardian’s ‘budget eats’ series). This is not about being tight. But whether I’m spending £3 or £300, I’m determined to extract maximum pleasure from every penny when I eat out, rather than gormlessly frittering away money. By dining smartly, you can stretch your cash further than you may think without having to rely on vouchers or opt for high-street chains. Here are my 10 pro tips. 1 It’s all about timing Arguably, only mugs eat at night. You can nab remarkable deals at lunch, pre-theatre and, at all-day venues in that 3-6pm dead-zone.…

Before we go any further, I feel I need to establish my credentials in the romantic arena: I was the Kissing Consultant on the movie Love, Actually. There was a lot of competition for the role, but I secured it by managing to have four children with the director – literally sleeping my way to the top. There wasn’t much call for my special skills during the first half of the shoot, but when we arrived in Marseille to film the sequence where Colin Firth proposes to Lucia Moniz in a Portuguese café, my moment had arrived. As she descended the staircase in her waitress outfit, the kiss that ensued was the climax of their story and it needed to be landmark. I designed a trademark clinch for Colin: the…

HOW TO... Eat well on a budget You don’t have to fork out a fortune to enjoy healthy food. Try our top tips to help you eat well for less. Buy frozen instead of fresh. Most fruit and veg are frozen quickly after picking, so they retain the same, if not more, nutrients when compared to fresh produce which may have travelled many air miles before it hits supermarket shelves. Shop local and seasonal. Locally-grown produce is often cheaper than imported groceries. Farmers’ markets are a great place to bag bargains on seasonal British fruit and veg while supporting local producers. Eat more pulses. Cheap, low-fat and rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, beans and lentils are great low-cost vegetarian sources of protein. Love your leftovers. Meal prepping is gaining…

Good Food contributing editor Rosie Birkett is a food writer and stylist. Her cookbook, A Lot on Her Plate, is out now (£25, Hardie Grant). @rosiefoodie If we can just get through February, spring is right around the corner. Time to batten down the hatches and get your cook on with fabulous seasonal ingredients. The weather may be bleak, but when we can roast Jerusalem artichokes to crisp-skinned, squidgy-fleshed lusciousness to eat with golden, lemon-scented guinea fowl, and revel in the bright pink glories of rhubarb, we’re doing okay, aren’t we? Cauliflower can be celebrated in a warming pasta bake with sweet shallots and a rich cheese sauce, and swede can replace potato in a comforting pie with leeks, parmesan and thyme-flecked pastry. The tart will perk you up with…

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. Valcatrina Tinto Alentejano 15 This multi-award winning wine is made by Diogo Sepúlveda, who has worked in Pomerol and Napa. This distinctively Portuguese red has a heady fragrance of rosemary and fennel that will transport you to southern Portugal. The dark fruit and earthy savoury edge would be delicious with…

Good Food contributing editor Diana Henry is an award-winning food writer. Every month she creates exclusive recipes using seasonal ingredients. Her tenth book, Simple (£25, Mitchell Beazley), is out now. @dianahenryfood My favourite part of a loaf are the end bits, what in my house are called ‘heels’ and in other homes ‘butts’ (even just ‘bottoms’, I discovered when I asked bread lovers on Twitter). I’ll fight you for the first and last slice of a crispy baguette or a sourdough loaf. I love the contrast between the chewiness of the crust and the soft butter with which it’s spread. When I was an au pair, my employer, Monique, used to sit at breakfast pulling the fluffy bits out of her baguette and passing them to the children. I started…

Goa is best-known for the sparkling string of yellow sand beaches that fringes the state from top to toe. But beyond the lure of the Arabian sea coast, its trance parties and boutique beach shacks, Goa is a jewel for the gastronomic traveller. This small state on India’s western coast was once one of the country’s primary trading centres. A seafaring nation, Portugal introduced fruits, spices and staple ingredients to India including potatoes, chillies, corn, and tomatoes. Four centuries of Portuguese rule, which ended as recently as 1961, left its mark on Goa — from Christianity to cuisine. Based on seafood, coconut milk, rice and local spices, Goan food was also heavily influenced by its Hindu origins, and the Muslim rule that preceded the arrival of the Portuguese. Food is…

HOT TREND HASSELBACK Practise your knife skills and turn ordinary veg into showstoppers Hot technique HASSELBACK The hasselback potato is not a new invention: it’s actually a Swedish import, the original being made with whole potatoes that are sliced, not-quite-all-the-way-through, topped with butter, breadcrumbs and baked until golden. Social media has snapped up this idea and run with it, applying the technique to a growing list of vegetables and even fruit. Now the slices are as thin and delicate as possible and the breadcrumbs are out so that you can really show off those knife skills. However, as well as being marvellously photogenic there is a logic to it, as each incision increases the surface area creating multiple catch points for seasonings, spices, oil, butter and general deliciousness. It might…

WHAT IS IT? Bergamot is a fragrant citrus fruit that looks like a cross between an orange and a lemon. I’M SURE I’VE HEARD OF IT BEFORE… You’ll most likely know it as the ingredient that gives Earl grey tea its characteristic flavour. Its essential oils are also often used in perfume and beauty products. But we’re talking about the fruit itself… AND WHAT DOES THE FRUIT TASTE LIKE? Its pulp is acidic, sour and slightly bitter, a little like grapefruit, while the skin is highly perfumed. HOW DO I EAT IT? As it’s so sour, you wouldn’t want to eat it on its own but, like Seville oranges, the sharp, slight bitterness works wonderfully in marmalade or in a gin & tonic. It’s also delicious in a curd, cake,…

‘As a starter with a little theatre, serve the whole side and slice it at the table’ The secret’s out – look out for this name on restaurant menus and at smart food halls. Owner Max Bergius, from Scotland’s west coast started smoking fish in his back garden and now supplies top-class chefs and buyers from his premises in Hackney. It’s a one-man business. Max buys the fish from Scotland and does the rest himself, filleting, smoking and packing oak-smoked salmon, kippers, trout, haddock, and selling them online (and at a handful of upmarket food halls and Borough Market). Recently awarded the PGI status (Protected Geographical Indication) the ingredients in the London Cure are PGI-protected Scottish salmon, salt and oak smoke. The fish is delicate in taste, firm and…

London’s queen of Korean cuisine, Linda Lee, is the restaurateur behind fine-dining Korean barbecue restaurant Koba in Fitzrovia ( koba london.com ), four branches of streetfood favourite On the Bab ( onthebab.com ) and Seoul-style Mee Market in Soho ( meemarket.co.uk ). Her latest venture, On the Dak, specialising in Korean fried chicken, opens in Covent Garden soon. Bibimbap Probably the best-known Korean dish. Oil is added to a hot stone bowl, then two-thirds filled with cooked rice. Colourful vegetables are placed on top. An egg yolk and raw beef are popular additions. It’s seasoned with gochujang and sesame seeds. Kimchi fried rice Kimchi (fermented vegetables, usually cabbage) is enjoyed at almost every meal in…

WHISKY GALORE Cotswolds single malt One of only six English whisky distillers, The Cotswolds Distillery (cotswoldsdistillery.com) opened in 2014. The team seeks to keep local village life at the heart of its drink. Cotswold barley forms the base of their brew, locals help with the bottling and the used grains go to local cows. A rich, fruity whisky with honey flavours, the first batch was released last October (£44.95). Keep your eyes peeled for more releases soon. BEER GOGGLES Chieftain IPA There can be few better experiences in February than cosying up in a pub with a full-flavoured ale. Chieftain, from the Franciscan Well in Cork, is that brew. Named after the ruler in the region that funded the building of the local friary, the Chieftain is buried in what…

‘The second batch was even better than the first’ It’s Chinese New Year on 16 February and the country celebrates with with a feast of ‘lucky’ foods to bring them good fortune in the year ahead. These include noodles, fish, tofu, oranges – and dumplings, said to bring you wealth. We could all do with a little more of that in these uncertain economic times, so I turned to the Hong Kong Food City cookbook by Tony Tan. The beautifully-photographed collection is described as ‘part food immersion, part travel experience’ looking at the food scene from all perspectives. You’ll recognise many of the dishes from your local Chinese restaurant, from the classic hot and sour soup to kung pao chicken and sweet and sour pork. And, of course, dim…

“For less than a tenner, you can pour a world- class wine into your glass – the real thing, in all its glory” When they needed a lasting record of an event, it is said that the ancients would take a child, throw him in a river and force him to observe proceedings. The idea was that the heightened emotion would create a pin-sharp and enduring memory in the impressionable young mind. I have my own river-immersion moment with a wine I smelled while I was pregnant. During those nine long, dry months, it was the only one I was so furious to not be drinking that I can remember every nuance, every corner, of its fragrance, and my precise position in the room as I lifted the glass to…

Jane Ashley decided to cut her family’s food budget after learning about the charity The Hunger Project’s Live Below the Line campaign, which challenges people to live on just £1 a day to raise awareness of people living in poverty. She set herself the task of feeding her family of three on £3 a day and set up a food blog, Eat Not Spend, to write about her progress and share her thrifty recipes. Jane says, ‘I started this journey into low cost eating to find out how difficult it would be to only have £1 a day to spend on all of your food. I decided with my family to join our pounds together and try to devise a shopping list that would feed us with a varied and…

This fun brunch or breakfast dish poses no threat to wildlife: I call these puffins because they are a cross between pancakes and muffins. Slathered in syrup, they make a glam alternative to French toast. If you take a little trouble to get organised before you start, this dish goes with a swing. Although it’s tempting to dive in and get baking, the seasoned cook knows that it always saves time in the end to have everything out before you begin. While the puffins are in the oven, you have a convenient gap in which to make the syrup, tidy up and rally everyone for the moment of triumph when these golden beauties emerge from the oven. Puffins with berry syrup MAKES 12 PREP 25 mins COOK 45 mins EASY…

“If it’s big, bright and intermittently flashing, then it’s trying to entice me to overspend” I am very bad at saving money. I need to put that out there now. My other half is the pro where saving is concerned but somehow, he manages to be flash all at the same time. When I was at home with the kids, I had to find ways of feeding the family, but also saving, so I, like my husband could be flash too. When I say flash, I don’t mean extravagant food or days out. He just never seemed phased with an unexpected spend; when a boiler broke, or fence fell over in the wind he always had something saved up. If he could do it, so could I. I worked out…

There are no limits to what you can do when making your own soup. Some of us prefer something mild and comforting, while others like to spice things up with a tangy kick. Whatever your taste, OXO Ready To Use Stock is the perfect way to boost the flavour in your bowl – ideal for curling up with a warming soup on those cold winter evenings. And with three slow-cooked stocks to choose from – Succulent Free-Range Chicken, Rich Farm-Bred Beef and Tasty Vegetable – you’ll want to make more than just one batch… Mild Herby chicken soup SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 40 mins EASY 40g unsalted butter 2 tbsp oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only, or a…

“When I was a competing athlete, I would eat at least five times a day” Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams, 35, started her sporting life as a 400m runner in her hometown, Bath. While studying at university, she switched to the skeleton sled, which is essentially a tea-tray that hurtles down a frozen track at 80mph. She went on to represent Great Britain at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and won gold in the skeleton race. Her triumph saw her become Britain’s first solo Winter Olympian in 30 years, the first woman champion in 58 years, and also set a double track record in the sport. Following her success, she was awarded an MBE and named Glamour magazine’s Sportswoman of the Year. Since retiring as…

Chicken & sweetcorn soup Making stock from a chicken carcass after a roast dinner is not just good for your wallet – the bone broth adds important minerals to your diet, such as immune-supporting zinc and selenium. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 2 hrs 15 mins EASY 1 chicken carcass 4 thin slices fresh ginger, plus 1 tbsp finely grated 2 onions, quartered 3 garlic cloves, finely grated 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 325g can sweetcorn 3 spring onions, whites thinly sliced, greens sliced at an angle 100g cooked chicken, shredded 2 tsp tamari 2 eggs, beaten few drops sesame oil, to serve (optional) 1 Boil a large kettle of water. Break the carcass into a large non-stick pan and add the ginger slices, onion and two-thirds of the…

Good Food contributing editor Tom Kerridge is a BBC presenter and chef-owner of The Hand & Flowers, The Coach and new venture The Butcher’s Tap – all in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. His latest book, Lose Weight for Good (£22, Absolute Press), is out now – turn to page 17 for a recipe. @ChefTomKerridge When Good Food set me the task of making a chicken into four meals, I thought about how I could simplify the process. Every time I’ve seen this done, the cook is asked to make a stock using the bones. Making fresh stock isn’t a big ask at the weekend, but on a weeknight, I could just see people thinking ‘yeah, right’ and cooking something else. So here I’ve pot roasted the whole bird to give you chicken…

1 SCRAPER A scraper is like an extension of the hand. It’ll help handle dough without turning it into a sticky mess and having to add adding excess flour. Scrapers are cheap to buy and indispensable when working with bread dough. nisbets.co.uk/vogue-plain-plastic-dough-scraper/e401 2 BANNETON A banneton is a basket for dough to rest in. It allows it to prove gently and gives the bread its finished shape. If you don’t have one, the top of a large egg carton or a bowl lined with a tea towel will do. bakerybits.co.uk/bakery-equipment/proving-baskets-and-cloths/500g-heavyduty-round-lined-banneton.html 3 ELECTRIC SCALES Exact quantities are key in bread-making, so it's worth finding a good set of scales. Choose one that measures to the gram and tares, which means you can add ingredients on top of each other. Precise scales…

PORK VINDALOO Derived from the Portuguese words for a garlic (alho) and wine (vinho) marinade, this spicy Goan curry originated from a Portuguese sailor’s dish made with pork, garlic and wine. Goan cooks substituted palm vinegar for red wine and added chilli peppers and spices. CRAB XEC XEC A thick roasted curry made with grated coconut and strong spices such as cloves and tamarind. The ultimate dish for crustacean lovers, it’s served with rice or bread. PRAWN BALCHÃO A spice-infused prawn pickle comprised of a fiery tomato and chilli sauce, made with caramelised onions and coconut toddy vinegar. It is served as an accompaniment to a rice dish, or spread on toast. GOAN RED RICE Also called ukade rice, this is popular in gourmet circles in India. An unpolished thick-grained…

Exeter Cookery School In a gorgeous location on trendy Exeter Quay, Jim and Lucy Fisher’s cookery school offers short courses in fish, chocolate, butchery, pasta – just about everything. exetercookeryschool.co.uk Exe Coffee Roasters The best coffee in Exeter is roasted by Steve Pearson in a roaster he made with his own hands. You can also buy coffee beans and learn to be a barista. execoffeeroasters.co.uk Bon Goût Deli The epicentre of Exeter’s food scene is this compact, heavenly shop on Magdalen Road – a sort of mini Fortnum & Mason. The homemade items are truly exceptional. bongoutdeli.co.uk The Spanish Shop An elegant emporium for fans of Spanish food. The products stocked are the best of the best. Those in the know head here for lunchtime bocadillos. thespanishshop.net Pipers Farm The…

The Isle of Sheppey, off the northern coast of Kent, can feel like quite a remote place. One of the poorest areas in the country, Sheppey also has a serious obesity problem, which is partly a result of poor cooking know-how. So, a decade ago, Mike Spackman, a former teacher, started Community Chef, a campaign to help people improve their life chances by teaching them creatively about food, using a 14-foot food truck to spread his message. ‘We engage with people who are harder to reach due to geography or mobility, or who lack confidence to attend more traditional cookery sessions,’ says Mike, who now directs a team of three. ‘These include prisoners and homeless and unemployed people.’ Mike’s food truck visits community locations to showcase affordable, family-friendly food. One…

Easy slow cooker chicken casserole SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 4-8 hrs EASY 1 leek, roughly chopped 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 350g new potatoes, roughly chopped 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped 500ml chicken stock 4 tbsp vegetable gravy granules 1 Put the veg and chicken in a slow cooker. Pour the stock over and around the chicken thighs, then mix in the gravy granules to thicken it up (the sauce will be quite thick – use less gravy if you prefer a runnier casserole). 2 Switch the slow cooker to low and leave to cook for at least 4 hrs, or up to 8 hrs – try putting it on before you go to work, so that it’s ready when you get home. Season…

Irresistible chai tea bags I like the warming flavour of chai in recipes as well as in a drink. Try making a strong cup using a tea bag, and then mixing it with icing sugar to decorate cakes or biscuits. £1.69 (125g), Co-op Chocolate & Love rich dark tin This tin contains 30 dinky wrapped pieces (in a mix of rich dark 71%, Madagsacan 70% and Panama 80%), which is helpful when you are trying not to eat a large bar. £11.50, ethicalsuperstore .com , chocolateandlove .com English Tea Shop English breakfast tea Tea is the first thing I drink in the morning, so it’s got to be good. This brand uses black tea from Sri…

Mildred’s Vegan Cookbook (£25, Mitchell Beazley) The culinary masterminds behind London’s most queued-for vegetarian restaurant know a thing or two about making meat-free food taste good. From seitan lahmajuns (Turkish pizza) to tempeh kimchi burgers, this is fun Friday night food for friends. Must-try recipe ‘Chicken’ and waffles Everyone Loves Tacos by Felipe Fuentes Cruz & Ben Fordham (£14.99, Ryland Peters & Small) A riot of colour, this book from the team at authentic street food canteen Benito’s Hat breathes new life into Mexican cuisine. Tacos are taken to new heights with adventurous fillings and there’s salsas, margaritas and desserts – everything you need for a feast. Must-try recipe Lamb shank birria tacos Salad for President by Julia Sherman (£26.99, Abrams) The…

These baked apples, one of Tom’s recipes to help his dieters curb the carbs, fit the bill perfectly; sweet and satisfying yet low in calories Baked Bramley apples and custard This is such an easy pud, not least because you don’t have to make the custard from scratch. The deep spices and amaretti biscuits give it some really big flavours. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V 75g sachet low-fat instant custard powder 400ml skimmed milk 4 large Bramley apples 40g amaretti biscuits, crushed 1 orange, zested 30g raisins 1 tsp ground allspice ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cardamom 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 3. Tip the custard powder into a large heatproof jug. Heat the…

North-east diners are very friendly, and that requires the front-of-house teams in the region’s restaurants to also be very friendly and have a personality – they can’t just be robots, they need to really interact with guests. My favourite dishes on the menu at House of Tides (houseoftides.co.uk), where I’m head chef are scallops, alsace bacon & mushroom – it’s really tasty, packed full of flavour – and chocolate & roasted chestnut. It’s so rich and indulgent, with a chocolate pave, roasted chestnut ice cream, and freshly roasted chestnuts grated over the top. We always try getting local produce in the dishes at House of Tides. We use Cumbrian lamb and hogget when it’s available. Our beef comes from Nidderdale and oysters from Lindisfarne. I think its easy to overlook…

GOOD FOOD HEALTHY MAG With over 85 feelgood recipes, this collection has all the warming and nutritious recipes you need for eating well in 2018. On sale now, £3.90. VISIT THE BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW Discover a BBC Good Food Show near you – find out more on page 78. Readers save 20% on tickets! GOOD FOOD ON YOUR 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…

Saffron Made from the stamens of crocuses, you only need a pinch of saffron to add a floral flavour and yellow colour to dishes. Use it in saffron risotto or to poach pears. See p14 for a Fairtrade one. Matcha Matcha is on trend at the moment. A very finely ground green tea, it’s also used in baking to add both flavour and texture. Visit bbcgood food.com for matcha recipes. mushrooms Wild Wild mushrooms (not farmed varieties) are seasonal and expensive, but a few go a long way. Use them to spruce up a budget soup, gratin or omelette. Cognac A decent bottle of this fine French brandy costs £35-£40, so buy half bottles or miniatures and use it to add finesse to rich cream or crème fraîchebased sauces. Manchego…

Dhal with garam masala carrots SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 75g red lentils 1 garlic clove, peeled knob of salted butter 2 carrots, cut into batons 1 tbsp rapeseed oil ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds (optional) 1 tsp Greek yogurt 1 Cook the lentils in 500ml water with the garlic clove for around 20 mins until the lentils are tender. Fish the garlic clove out, crush it and stir it back into the lentils with the butter. Season well. It should be spoonable like a thick soup – keep simmering if it’s not thick enough. 2 Put the carrots in a pan, just cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer until just tender, about 8-10 mins. Drain, then toss…

1 Always, ALWAYS have a list. 2 Check what you have run out of or need before you write your list. We plan what we are eating on what days and who’s working late or who is going to be out, so that we only buy what we will need for that week. 3 Never go shopping when you are hungry; you’ll end up buying sweets and snacks. 4 Check your prices, as supermarkets are always putting prices up and down. If it’s expensive that week, don’t get it. Swap in something else; be flexible. 5 Buy supermarket own brands. I’ve taste-tested loads and if you use them well, you can’t tell the difference.Why pay £2 for something that can cost 35p? 6 If you don’t trust yourself not to…

“I worked out which ingredients were the best value and created a meal plan, so that I could use more of each ingredient through the week” THE FRUGAL FOODIE In 2012, Londoner Limahl Asmall was skint and fed up. He was struggling to establish himself as a furniture-maker and was feeding himself on just £20-a-week. A foodie who had worked in kitchens as a student, he was sick of eating boring meals: ‘I can’t stand pasta, but spaghetti and pesto was a go-to. If you lack time and money, it can be very difficult to eat well.’ Slowly, Limahl resolved to change: ‘I’d go shopping, work out which ingredients were the best value and I started to collate cheap recipes. Later, I realised that if I…

“Buying processed ostensibly cheap food comes at a high price that’s unbearable for people, animals and the planet” The view that food ethics – vital issues like animal welfare, fair trade, the environment – is a minor cause for when times are good, one that can be ditched unceremoniously whenever money is tight, has never sat right with me. I have been told, usually by affluent people, that such considerations are no more than a precious middle-class affectation that most people can’t afford. ‘It’s all very well for you to tell people to buy free-range chicken, but if you’re poor you don’t have that option,’ they say. I sometimes wonder if this ‘needs must’ defence is just an excuse to turn a blind eye to why cheap food is so…

Breakfast Baked banana porridge SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V 2 small bananas, halved lengthways 100g jumbo porridge oats ¼ tsp cinnamon 150ml milk of your choice, plus extra to serve 4 walnuts, roughly chopped 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mash up one banana half, then mix it with the oats, cinnamon, milk, 300ml water and a pinch of salt, and pour into a baking dish. Top with the remaining banana halves and scatter over the walnuts. 2 Bake for 20-25 mins until the oats are creamy and have absorbed most of the liquid. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 405 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 2g • carbs 52g • sugars 18g • fibre 6g •…

Basic lentils MAKES 6 portions PREP 10 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V * 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 onions, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped large piece of ginger, chopped 300g red split lentils 1 tsp turmeric 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 tsp each coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black mustard seeds 1 lemon, juiced 1 Melt 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for 8 mins. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a few mins more. Add the lentils, turmeric and tomatoes, stir to combine, then pour in 1 litre of water. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 25-30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. 2 Heat the rest…

Born and raised in Oldstead into a family of farmers, Tommy’s passion for food flourished from a young age. His family bought The Black Swan in Oldstead, North Yorkshire, just as he finished school and he started working there at 17. In 2013, at the age of 24, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, making Tommy the youngest head chef in Britain to have achieved this at the time. He was also a winner on BBCTwo’s Great British Menu in both 2016 and 2017, and in October 2017, The Black Swan was named the world’s best restaurant in the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards. What kind of recipes can we expect from you every month? Comfort food, things I would want to eat at home…

‘These recipes are not just about eating what’s good for your body, they’re also about enjoying and appreciating the food you put in your mouth. I hope you’ll feel encouraged to have a go at combining nourishing ingredients in inventive and delicious ways, so that every day you can eat well and eat happy!’ @MelissaHemsley Apple & blackberry crumble Quinoa flakes make a great alternative to oats in this crumble, and you use them in the same way. A crumble is such a versatile dish: you can change up the fresh fruit and the type of nuts you use in the topping – pecans and pear would make a wonderful variation. Serve warm with ice cream or Greek yogurt. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V 4…

Ingredients in-depth: Dried lentils They’re, cheap, versatile, filling, and packed with protein, but there’s a big difference between these readily available lentils and what they’re used for. Red lentils Sometimes called orange lentils, these come in various sizes and can be sold whole or split. They cook to a purée, making them ideal for making dhals, healthy dips and soups, and can also be used to thicken stews. Yellow lentils The most common variety for making dhals. Yellow lentils and red lentils are interchangeable, though cooking times will vary depending on the size. They all collapse into a purée when cooked. Green lentils These can be large or small. They hold their shape when cooked, so they can be braised with meat, and added to warm salads and casseroles. Puy…

We tested the best fryers on the market so you can safely cook super crisp, deep-fried food at home. Plus, we've chosen our favourite air fryer for a healthier option. BEST MINI FRYER 1 VonShef Compact 1.5L Stainless Steel Deep Fat Fryer £29.99 domu.co.uk This neat, easy to clean cube-shaped fryer looks smart, and is just the right size for two portions of chips. When empty, the handle can be removed and tucked into the basket, making it easy to store. For draining, the basket sits easily clear of the oil, which helps you to make chips with a good crunch. BEST BLOWOUT 2 Magimix Pro 350 £129.95 johnlewis.com With dishwasher-safe basket, bowl and lid, the magimix was the easiest fryer to clean. It has a…

PRAGUE Best for craft beers & budget-pleasing menus Prague is one of the world’s greatest beer cities and its cosy old pubs and hearty food are now joined by the best modern craft brews and menus demonstrating that Czech cuisine is much more than just meat and dumplings. Head to Lokál (lokal-dlouha.ambi.cz) on Dlouhá Street for perfect glasses of Pilsner Urquell and home-cooked food (beers from £1.60 per half-litre; mains from £4). For the best craft beers, go to Kulový Blesk (restauracekulovyblesk.cz), and choose between the courtyard or basement where there are different beers on tap (from £1.50 per half-litre). For exceptional Czech cuisine with a mix of lagers and craft beers, then U Šumavy (usumavy.cz), is a wonderful option. How to do it Bed down in a brewery at…

Super fluffy pancakes SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins COOK 30mins EASY V 200g self-raising flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 tbsp golden caster sugar 3 large eggs 25g melted butter, plus extra for cooking 200ml milk vegetable oil for cooking To serve toppings of your choice such as maple syrup, cooked bacon, chocolate chips, blueberries or peanut butter and jam 1 Mix the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Create a well in the centre with the back of your spoon then add the eggs, melted butter and milk. Whisk either with a balloon whisk or electric hand beater until smooth, then pour into a jug. 2 Heat a small knob of butter and 1 tsp of oil in a large,…