Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Good Food

‘Food to fork foodist’ is the perfect way to describe James Cross, the inspiring chef at Cumbria’s Lake Road Kitchen. His Ambleside restaurant is 80% self-sufficient in vegetables over the summer months, grown on his small home plot. It’s an ingenious complex of pots, planters and raised beds, and while most of us wouldn’t be willing or able to put in the back-breaking graft, James does to produce the exquisite black raspberries and alpine strawberries that make Lake Road so inviting. His pithy advice on growing your own is as down-to-earth as it gets, too; start small and don’t try to make your whole garden an allotment. Find his, and more passionate gardeners’ stories and tips on page 116. Whether you’ve got a mature vegetable plot or the smallest of…

CREMANT Sales of crémant sparkling wine have recently rocketed, with Waitrose reporting sales up by 28% this year. Could this be the new prosecco? Find a cocktail using it on page 93. DAB Less familiar than favourites like cod and salmon, this locally caught flat fish is in the Marine Conservation Society’s most recent ‘Best Choice Top 10’, meaning it’s a more sustainable choice. Also on the list are Cornish hake, UK rope-grown mussels and pollock from the Celtic sea, so why not try a more sustainable fish for dinner? METALLIC WEDDING CAKES Wedding season is almost here, so we looked at some of the top trends in wedding cakes for 2018, and a big one this year is metallic – think copper-coloured icing artfully dripping down the cake, gold…

Cauliflower curry, boiled eggs & coconut crumble SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V 1 tbsp olive oil 1 cauliflower, broken into florets 1 tbsp each cumin seeds, coriander seeds and curry powder 1 tsp each ground turmeric and nigella seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 2.5cm piece of ginger, grated 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red chilli, finely chopped 150g yellow lentils, cooked and drained 2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk 2 tbsp desiccated coconut 8 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved ½ small pack of coriander 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the cauliflower on all sides. 2 Meanwhile, put all the spices in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast for a few mins, shaking the pan. 3…

There’s a real feeling of collaboration amongst chefs, food producers and growers in Bristol, with lots of projects that bring people together. The Bristol Food Connections Festival (11-17 June) is a great example of this, with events all over the city hosted by a range of people, from community groups to celebrated restaurants. I’ll be holding two events for this year’s festival at Redcliffe Children’s centre in Bristol, where I work as a chef. My best dish in Bristol would be anything from one of the new venues at Wapping Wharf – an independent restaurant complex built from shipping containers. You can choose anything from Mexican to Indian street food. My favourite local foodies on social media are @Bristolconnect, which celebrates food across the city. Their feed is also…

The dark & stormy, in all its many forms, is a drink that’s part of the Mule or Buck family of cocktails, which is booze, ginger ale or ginger beer and citrus. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V 50ml dark rum 25ml fresh lime juice, plus a wedge to serve 2 dashes of Angostura bitters 5ml sugar syrup (optional) 100ml chilled ginger beer (a good fiery variety) Put all the ingredients in a Collins or Highball glass over lots of ice, stir gently and garnish with a wedge of lime. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER SERVING 195 kcals • fat none • saturates none • carbs 19g • sugars 19g • fibre none • protein none • salt none To make the sugar syrup,…

@how_to_drink @planetvictoria The gleam of holiday sun shines through this month’s spring tart recipes (p23) and if we can’t fly off to the Greek islands or the wild hills of Italy – not just yet, anyway – then perhaps we can drink some of their wines instead. Summer whites used to mean a slightly flat choice between pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc. Now we can choose to sip falanghina (reminiscent of sunny clementines) from Italy; honey-kissed godello from Spain; and savour the lemony glint of whites from Crete or the grapefruity sting of assyrtiko from Santorini. One of my favourite summery whites is on as good a form as ever. Torres Viña Esmeralda 2017 Spain (£9, Tesco) is made from aromatic muscatel and gewürztraminer, grown in the cool…

Kikkoman Soy Sauce Adding that familiar salty umami kick to your Japanese sauces and dressings is essential to creating the symphony of flavours that makes your dishes sing. We find this one does the trick. Clearspring Sweet White Miso Made from fermented rice and soya beans, this light miso is best for dressings and sauces. Use a darker miso for a more intense flavour if braising or stewing. • Miso paste is Diana Henry’s star ingredient, p78 Little Moons Mochi ice cream Try this popular Japanese dessert of ice cream wrapped in pounded sticky rice cake. Sounds weird, tastes delicious! We love the Toasted Sesame Seed and Matcha Green Tea flavours. Available at ocado.com.…

Now we are fully into the swing of spring I couldn’t be happier – there’s a wealth of gorgeous British ingredients at our fingertips, from bright green spears of asparagus to bunches of fragrant fresh herbs, and my favourite – earthy, creamy Jersey Royal potatoes. Here are some ways to get creative with these springtime spoils, from a quick asparagus and crab pappardelle – perfect if you’re entertaining midweek – to a more involved (but totally worth the effort) celebration salad with a creamy homemade mayonnaise. I hope you enjoy them! Spring celebration salad Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients here. This salad using the season’s most exciting food. The homemade mayo is a treat with the softly boiled eggs and tender potatoes, but if you’re…

There’s a passage in Dinner with Persephone by US writer Patricia Storace – a memoir of her time in Greece – which has never left me, even though I read the book many years ago. Storace writes about eating baklava and other Greek pastries, and that through eating these – sweet things so un-American and un-British – you get under the skin of Greece. Particular ingredients and dishes do take you to the heart of a country, helping you to unlock it. With Japan, that ingredient is miso. You can get it in supermarkets now – you no longer have to track it down online – but it took me a while to get a handle on it, partly because there are so many versions, partly because it is so…

Rochelle Canteen at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts), London, is Margot Henderson and Melanie Arnold’s second restaurant. Like the gallery, it’s a light, airy space with window seats overlooking the Mall. Ben Coombs (who has come from the original Rochelle Canteen) is head chef. Fin Spiteri, formerly of Quo Vadis and Trullo, oversees the cocktail list (negronis and other classics are a speciality). The food is deceptively simple, packed with flavours that show the skill of cooking and the pedigree of ingredients. Starters include dishes such as crisp radishes and smoked cod’s roe, grilled quail and aïoli, and the clear, highly flavoured chicken broth shared here (p94). Rabbit often features: in pies, braised and served with borlotti beans or as here – fried to crispness on the outside and…

What Forget stuffed crusts and meat feasts – you can’t beat a classic Margherita pizza. The three main components (dough, tomatoes and cheese) are combined and baked for a matter of minutes on the bottom of a furnace-hot oven to give the pizza a thin, crisp base with a bubbling middle. That’s easy to do if you own a pizzeria, but how do you get those same results at home? How For the base, we used a bread-making technique of staggered mixing, which cuts out kneading and produces a light, stretchy dough. We simplified the sauce by not cooking it first, and ended up with a great-tasting result. When it came to replicating a pizza oven in a home kitchen, we tried everything from barbecuing to…

From Britain’s booming allotment scene to ‘hyperlocal’ chefs growing their own ingredients, as a nation we have rarely been as keen to dig down into the roots of where food comes from. A generational shift in attitudes to provenance has fertilised a fresh, DIY approach to growing, as community groups, experimental gardeners and specialist heritage growers have set about producing exotic ingredients that are low on food miles but packed with flavour. There are lots of ways to get involved – like growing wasabi or Sichuan peppers at home – to both eat better and to save money. Is it time to join the grassroots revolution? The guerilla gardeners In 2008, Mary Clear and her friends were feeling shaken by the banking crisis. The future of the world and of…

Anew culinary competition celebrating exceptional home cooks is new to BBC One this year. Britain’s Best Home Cook is presented by Claudia Winkleman – who insists her Bolognese has magical qualities – and it’s judged by the former Bake Off taskmaster and author of more than 75 cookbooks, Mary Berry, whose authority in the home kitchen is unparalleled. Helping her to decide which of 10 contestants deserves the title of Britain’s Best Home Cook is Dan Doherty (see p17 for his veggie curry recipe), who runs Duck & Waffle – one of London’s most celebrated restaurants, and Chris Bavin, who founded retail business The Naked Grocer and now fronts TV shows like Eat Well for Less . We…

Those of us who span the generations – our parents lived through post-war rationing, our kids are now eco-warriors – have spent a lifetime being berated about food waste. In the 1980s, we had to think about starving children in Africa (old joke: ‘But mum, they’d hate your liver and onions too’), while, today, our vegan offspring calculate the cost of every sausage to battered old planet Earth. Worst of all, they’re right. And we know it. In the last decade, our attitude to food waste has changed dramatically. Whether you are ‘woke’ to the effects of global warming or merely keen to save money (the average family bins £60-worth of food a month), most of us are wasting less. According to the charity WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign…

SERVES 1 PREP 10 mins NO COOK EASY V 2 raw red peppers, skin removed (about 200g) 4 charred red peppers, skin removed (about 400g) 50g shelled almonds 75g sherry vinegar Gin Mare (flavours include arbequina olives, rosemary and thyme – perfect for this savoury cocktail) tonic water smoked oil (we used Castillo de Canena Smoked Arbequina Oil) 1 Blitz the raw and charred red peppers, almonds and vinegar in a blender. Push through a sieve to make a fine purée. 2 Mix one part pepper purée to one part gin and one part tonic water. Garnish the cocktail with a drop or two of smoked oil. PER SERVING 139 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 1g • carbs 6g • sugars 6g • fibre 1g • protein 1g •…

Unsworth’s Yard Located in Cartmel, Unsworth’s Yard is home to a brewery, cheese shop, vintners and kitchenware store. What more could you want? unsworthsyard.co.uk Great North Pie Co From 14-hour braised beef and ale to classic cheese and onion, this Ambleside café and shop sells sublime pies. greatnorthpie.co Tweedies Bar Traditional cask ales dominate in Cumbria, but Tweedies in Grasmere also has a strong selection of modern craft beers. dalelodgehotel.co.uk Lovingly Artisan Aidan Monks’ sourdough is the real deal. This slow-fermented bread has taken decades to develop, and boasts enormous depth and complexity. lovinglyartisan.com Homeground A third-wave coffee spot and brunch café in Windermere that has local foodies frothing with enthusiasm. homegroundcafe.co.uk…

CheatÕs Manchester tart Using ready-made pastry and custard powder saves time but doesn’t scrimp on flavour. SERVES 6-8 PREP 20 mins COOK 30-35 mins EASY V butter, for the tin1 sheet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry575ml whole milk3 tbsp custard powder3 tbsp caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract3 tbsp raspberry jam5 tbsp desiccated coconut handful of raspberries, to decorate 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Butter a 22cm round loose-bottomed tart tin, then use the sheet of pastry to line the tin. Prick the base with a fork, then lay a sheet of baking parchment on top and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins. Remove the beans and baking parchment and cook for a further 5 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. 2 To make the custard,…

HOT TREND SWEET SAFFRON Use this spice of the moment to create ultra-instagrammable cookies English-grown saffron was once considered the best in the world, it arrived in the 14th-century via Cornwall and by the 16th-century, it was grown extensively in Essex around Saffron Walden, Norfolk and Suffolk. Its fiddly production – in which everything was done by hand – meant it was eventually priced out of the market by saffron from Iran and Kashmir. Native to Southwest Asia, it can be found perfuming dishes from the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Spain as well as all the countries it ended up being traded to or grown in, from Scandinavia to the south of France (think bouillabaisse). Until recently, we tended to mostly add it to savoury dishes (see p19), but…

Dee Rettali and Jorge Fernandez (ex Fernandez & Wells) have recently opened Fortitude Bakehouse, a craft bakery, in Bloomsbury, London. Dee’s been in the organic baking game since 1998 when she launched Patisserie Organic, so this is no new idea to her. She has tested slow fermenting over the years, basing her methods on her Irish grandmother’s sweet breads. The slow ferment sourdough base is used to make the English muffin-like Moroccan batbout which are stuffed with Berber omelette for breakfast, bara brith (Welsh fruit loaf ), sticky buns stuffed with bilberries and, more unusually, cakes like the fermented carrot and banana sourdough loaf. These cakes have a caramelised crust, denser texture and a sweet flavour with a sour twang – the nature of the base means they need far…

1 Nieves Barragán Mohacho and José Etura’s new restaurant showcases dishes from all over Spain with a focus on Galician specialties such as pulpo á feira (octopus cooked in a copper pot and flavoured with paprika). 2 In the bar enjoy vermouth on tap, txakoli (naturally sparkling wine from the Basque region), cava or sherry. There’s a bar menu of jamón, croquetas and milk-fed lamb. 3 The counter – it’s first come, first served (no bookings) to get a front-row seat overlooking the kitchen action. Displays of raw ingredients such as peppers and fennel, and beautiful tiles create an authentic Spanish vibe. 4 El Asador, the dining room upstairs, is named in reference to its Spanish-style wood-fired oven, sourced from José’s native Castile. It can cook several Segovian suckling pigs…

BACK TO THE LAND What does it take to make a living in today’s rural Britain? Kate Humble follows a new wave of countryside entrepreneurs to find out, as they embark on fresh ventures, farming everything from seaweed to chillis, salt, truffles and wasabi. This inspiring and heartwarming series starts on BBC Two this month. THE KITCHEN CABINET Jay Rayner and his panel of food experts head to the home of the crab, Cromer, on 5 May before moving on to Kettering for the final programme in this current series on 12 May. Panelists include Great British Menu judge Andi Oliver. Saturday’s 10.30am, repeated Tuesdays at 3pm on BBC Radio 4. Kathryn Custance…

There’s a new KFC in town – Keith’s Fried Chicken. Well, not exactly. It’s actually SBFC – Saffron Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Yes, I’m here to tell you, lovers of the greasy fowl, I’ve discovered poulet perfection. This recipe, for my latest Cookbook Challenge, comes from Berber & Q by Josh Katz, the man behind the hugely successful Middle Eastern grill in East London, and the Berber & Q Shawarma Bar in London’s Exmouth Market, specialising in rotisserie Middle Eastern meats slow-cooked over charcoal and wood, inspired by the cafe culture of Tel Aviv. Of course, not everyone has a rotisserie at home (does anyone?) but, still, there are plenty of opportunities for the domestic cook to indulge in. Top of the list, for me, was the SBFC. The recipe involves…

Spring tarts with watercress salsa verde & whipped lemon feta Transform a sheet of shop-bought pastry into this stunning tart, piled with beautiful spring vegetables. This recipe makes two tarts, perfect for a party, or you can halve the recipe and stash the excess pastry in the freezer for another day. MAKES 2 tarts (each serves 4) PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY 320g sheet ready rolled all-butter puff pastry 1 egg yolk, to glaze handful baby carrots (about 8), peeled and any fat ones halved handful radishes (about 10), halved olive or rapeseed oil, for drizzling bunch of thin-stemmed asparagus (about 16), woody ends trimmed handful sugar snap peas (about 16) 100g fresh or frozen garden peas For the whipped lemon feta 200g block feta 250g tub mascarpone…

Easy caponata SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 15-20 mins EASY V * 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a splash 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 tsp dried oregano 2 tbsp capers 400ml can cherry tomatoes 2 slices of crusty bread ½ small pack of basil ½ lemon, juiced 1 Heat the olive oil in a high-sided frying pan over a high heat, add the onion and aubergine with a big pinch of salt and fry until golden and softened, around 10 mins. Crush in the garlic with the oregano and cook for 1 min, then tip in the capers and tomatoes. Half-fill the empty can with water and add to the pan, bring to the boil then turn the…

Kombu This edible kelp is the key ingredient in dashi, a kind of stock that forms the building blocks for so many popular Japanese dishes. Take the time to prepare your own and watch your ramen, soups and salad dressings transform to mirror the dishes in your favourite Japanese eateries. Shichimi togarashi This Japanese seven-spice blend adds a dash of flavour to dishes. Sprinkle it over your rice, udon noodles or ramen to add extra spice and a kick of heat. Katsuobushi/ bonito flakes These fish flakes are used in the second part of flavouring the dashi, but they also make a delicious topping to rice dishes or to Japanese pancakes called okonomiyaki. Sprinkle them on and watch them dance and sway – they’re sure to mesmerise your guests. Find…

Roast tomato soup with pasta SERVES 2-3 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY * 2 tbsp olive oil ½ onion, finely chopped 1 small carrot, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 100ml passata 400g can peeled tomatoes or 4 large ripe tomatoes ½ vegetable or chicken stock melt or cube 2 tbsp cream (optional) 100g orzo or soup pasta, cooked until al dente shaved parmesan, chopped basil or pesto, and breadsticks, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and fry for 8-10 mins until tender, but don’t let them brown too much. Add the passata and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add the stock, 200ml water and a pinch of sugar, then season and simmer…

Kimchi fried rice Fermented foods such as kimchi help promote good gut bacteria, which support the sleep hormone, melatonin. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V 11/2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 garlic clove, sliced 1 thumb-size piece ginger, grated 200g Tenderstem broccoli, chopped 4 spring onions, thinly sliced 50g kimchi (we used Biona) 200g pouch wholegrain rice 2 carrots, cut into ribbons using a peeler 2 eggs 1 lime,1/2 juiced,1/2 as a wedge, to serve handful coriander hot sauce, to serve (optional) 1 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic, ginger, broccoli and half the spring onions. Fry for 5-7 mins until softened, then add the kimchi and fry for a couple of mins more. Tip in the rice,…

FITNESS Veggie sources of protein It’s easy to eat enough protein on a vegetarian diet. The recommended amount to aim for is 0.75g protein per kg of body weight. On average, men will need around 55g per day and women, 45g. Here is approximately how much protein is found in common foods… Discover more at: bbcgoodfood.com/veggie-protein-sources HEALTH BENEFITS Brilliant bananas Bananas are phenomenally popular in the UK and make a great portable snack. Whenever you eat one, you’re getting an array of nutrients… Discover more at: bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-bananas DISCOVER Dairy-free ice cream Catering for a dairy-free diet doesn’t need to mean missing out on dessert. Enjoy this easy, creamy frozen treat every once in a while. Coconut, caramel & pecan ice cream SERVES 8 PREP…

“Fresh herbs transform a dish. And they’re perfect for growing in a pot on a bright windowsill or by the back door, where they’re within easy reach of the kitchen” 1 FRESH SEEDS You’ll get the best results if you sow seeds the year you buy them. Check the back of the packet for a ‘sow by’ date and stick to it. Leafy herbs such as basil, coriander and chives are easy to grow from seed. You can grow parsley from seed, but it’s slow to sprout. From £1, wilko.com or £2 at jekkasherbfarm.com. Long-lived herbs like rosemary, mint and thyme are best grown from plants. From £2.50, pepperpotherbplants.co.uk 2 PEAT-FREE COMPOST Rather than using soil from your garden, buy a bag of fresh compost, which will have been sterilised…

Of you’ve been invited to Windsor Castle on 19 May, I’m afraid there’s nothing for you in this column, so kindly turn the page. For those of us whose personal invite to the royal wedding has been incomprehensibly lost in the royal mail, I would like to suggest we spend the big day consuming their known food preferences. We may not have been asked to break bread with the happy couple, but we can at least eat their favourite dishes to celebrate their union. Finding the foods they have publicly endorsed has taken a massive amount of research, but I’ve stalked all available intel, and can now present my guide to eating like Harry and Meghan on their wedding day. BREAKFAST Harry’s only contribution of note to breakfast is the…

It’s been obvious for ages that Britain has terrible eating habits, but even so, the recent report by a team of scientists into European diets makes alarming reading. Over half the food on the UK’s food shopping list is ultra-processed (see box below) the highest of the 19 countries studied. A growing body of research suggests that heavy consumption of highly processed food is driving the epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes and the evidence is all around us. We are the fattest country in Western Europe: 26.9% of us are obese and four out of every five children are on course to become obese adults. So are we planning to carry on regardless, or are we ever going to take preventative action? The very architecture of food shopping…

NEXT LEVEL SANDWICHES We’ve searched Instagram for some of the best sandwichess to inspire you in time for National Sandwich Week (14-20 May)… @infatuation_london Check out this whopper from Max’s Sandwich Shop in London – braised beef, kimchi, deep-fried noodles, gravy, Little Gem lettuce and doenjang mayo in soft focaccia. @ellen_inmyredkitchen Fancy a Vietnamese bánh mi? Ellen had this vegan version at The Botanist in New Zealand, with tempeh, pickled carrots, chilli, wasabi maple mayo and salted cashews. @zoe.polouchkine We’d love to get our hands on this Reuben sandwich from Frenchie to Go in Paris, packed with pastrami, cheese and beetroot coleslaw.…

The Paleo Foods Co cocoa & hazelnut grain-free granola Unlike other granolas, this doesn’t contain any oats, grains or refined sugars. It’s super chocolatey, nutty and sweetened with honey. £5.75, Sainsbury’s Ocado Gold free-from triple choc chunk cookies Crisp, buttery and with a good sweet-salty balance, these chocolate-studded cookies are a real winner, particularly as they don’t have the dusty texture you often find with gluten-free biscuits. £2.79 (235g), ocado.com UGO Thrive pumpkin & sage raviolini Not only is this pasta gluten-free, it’s also free from egg and dairy, without compromising on flavour. We recommend serving with melted butter and crispy fried sage leaves. £3 (250g), Waitrose Gradz Bakery gluten-free dark bread with sunflower seeds Gluten-free bread can be difficult to get right but we enjoyed this, especially toasted.…

The Hidden Hut by Simon Stallard (£20, HarperCollins) Chef Simon transformed a shed on a remote beach in Cornwall into a popular outdoor restaurant where the feast nights sell out in minutes. This book is full of those meals with lots of lovely seafood and Cornish produce thrown in. A beautiful book packed with inspiration for summer cooking. Must-try recipe Samphire frittata Planted by Chantelle Nicholson (£25, Kyle Books) Chef patron at Marcus Wareing’s top London restaurant, Tredwells, Chantelle showcases her inventive vegan dishes in this book. Though many of the recipes are dinner-party impressive, there are easy everyday favourites too – try the Swiss chard & chickpea pancakes. Must-try recipe Spring pea & broad bean gnudi Casablanca by Nargisse Benkabbou (£20,…

WHAT IS IT? As the name suggests, cold-pressed chocolate is prepared at a low temperature, unlike normal chocolate which involves roasting cocoa beans at high temperatures. SO HOW EXACTLY IS IT MADE? Adam’s Chocolate, a company which makes cold-pressed chocolate, explains ‘The cocoa beans are fermented, then ground into a powder using a giant pestle and mortar. The powder is then compressed into blocks of cacao paste. This is an alternative method of preparing the beans instead of roasting. After this, our cooking process keeps the mixture below 42C.’ OKAY, AND WHY COLD-PRESSED? Preparing the beans at low temperatures preserves the natural nutrients in the cocoa beans, as well as the flavour, some of which are lost when beans are roasted. I’M INTERESTED! HOW DOES IT TASTE? Adam’s chocolates have…

APERITIF TIME Knightor rosé vermouth Vermouth looks set to be the drink of 2018. New London restaurant Sabor (see p16) even has it on tap. This rosé vermouth from Knightor is an easy entry-level bottle to try. The Spanish serve vermouth straight up over ice with a twist of orange – the red fruit, floral, sweet edge to this rosé suits this kind of serve perfectly. Add a good splash of tonic and a sprig of rosemary and you’ve got an aromatic longer drink to take you through the summer, or try it in a negroni. £16 (375ml), shop.knightor.com. BEER GOGGLES Small Beer We’ve had session beers and higher-strength craft beers, now brewers are turning their skills to low ABV beers with the promise of fantastic flavour without the knock-on…

Talking Tables party porcelain gold paper table cover, £4, House of Fraser Tablecloths are the simplest way to disguise garden benches, dressing tables and anything else you need to double up as a table for the day! Colourful lanterns, £1, Flying Tiger If you plan to party into the night, use these cute coloured lanterns to light up the table. Yellowstone wicker picnic basket, £31.99, wayfair.co.uk It might be more expensive but these hampers look the part and can be used time and time again. Gingham Union Jack bunting, £9.95, dotcomgiftshop. com Nothing says royal wedding street party quite like Union Jack bunting. Wooden cutlery (18 pieces), £3.69, prettylittleparty shop.co.uk Kind to the environment, simple but…

Miriam Nice is a published author and illustrator. She has written over 300 recipes for BBC Good Food. @miriamjsnice “ Recently I did a totally non-scientific poll on my Instagram account: have you ever made pastry from scratch? I found that 46% of the people who responded had not made pastry before. I was a little surprised. Maybe the problem is that pastry has a bit of a reputation for being a challenge. Puff and filo pastry are tricky, so I’ll happily admit to buying them ready-made. Shortcrust pastry (like we’ve used in our broccoli & cauliflower cheese galette on p28) is really easy, and a great way to impress your guests or to help leftovers stretch a little further by making a quick pie or tart with whatever you…

This menu is the perfect introduction to Japanese cooking, taking inspiration from street food and the dishes you might be served if you were to eat in a Japanese home. Forget the stress of trying to roll your own sushi, these recipes are much more achievable – and once you’ve tried the goma-ae sauce, you’ll never want to eat your greens any other way. Yakitori The secret to the sticky chicken is to keep turning the skewers to continually baste it in the sauce. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 25 mins EASY 100ml soy sauce 100ml mirin 50ml sake 2 tbsp caster sugar 500g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 3cm chunks 4 spring onions, each cut into three You will need 4 flat teppo gushi bamboo skewers…

Tomato, ricotta & oregano SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V Toss 100g sliced heritage tomatoes in 1 tsp sea salt flakes. Spread two toasts with 1 tbsp ricotta each, top with the tomatoes, drizzle with balsamic glaze and scatter with oregano leaves. Season with black pepper to serve. PER SERVING 146 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 3g • carbs 18g • sugars 6g • fibre 1g • protein 7g • salt 2.9g tip Add some capers and anchovies for an extra salty punch. Miso spinach SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V Mix 1 tbsp miso paste with 1 tbsp melted butter, then tip into a frying pan. Add 200g spinach, cook over a medium heat until wilted, then add 2 tsp soy…

Like all of us, I hate waste, but I didn’t always think about it. For that I feel a pang of guilt. But you live and learn. I have learnt and I am still learning every day. Growing up, I never saw my parents waste a thing. They used to use everything they bought and shopped at the greengrocer’s so they never had plastic waste, either. Brown paper bags would be shredded and used in the pigeon house and rabbit hutch. When I left home and lived on my own, I didn’t really think twice before plating up too much food, then mindlessly throwing away leftovers. I didn’t give it a second thought. Everything my parents did hadn’t rubbed off on me. But we had to tighten our belts when…

As the temperature goes up, you’ll want to take full advantage of the sunny weather. Whether you’re eating al fresco in the garden with the family or enjoying a barbecue with friends, you can make any dish taste extra special with Heinz [Seriously] Good Mayonnaise. The clue is in the name. Heinz [Seriously] Good Mayonnaise tastes delicious, and that’s because it’s made with just a few simple ingredients – free-range eggs, oil and vinegar – with absolutely no added artificial colours, thickeners or flavours. You can add a satisfyingly big dollop to burgers, wraps, tacos and sandwiches, use it as a dip for chips, tortillas or meat skewers, and mix it into coleslaw or a potato salad. Heinz [Seriously] Good Mayonnaise is the perfect all-rounder, so put it at the…

Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, along with the BBC Good Food team, tasted his way through over 100 wines for 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 the selected wines at bbcgoodfood.com/wine-club. Collezione di Paolo Poggerissi 2016 Everything about this Tuscan red screams Chianti: the elegant label, the ruby colour, the smell of leather and cherries, and most of all the ripe meat-loving tannins. But as it contains grapes grown outside the famous region they can’t put the word Chianti on the label which makes…

The BBC series Britain’s Best Home Cook is a celebration of the delicious food being cooked in households all over the UK today. There has never been a more exciting time to be a home cook, with superb-quality ingredients available everywhere, from delis and superstores to farmers’ markets and farm-to-fork delivery services. The imagination and culinary flair that went into the food created by the 10 contestants on the programme was remarkable, demonstrating the immense talent of these cooks, who gave us their personal takes on well-loved dishes, celebrating their own cultural identities and backgrounds – a true representation of modern Britain. Turn to page 124 for an interview with the judges Mary Berry, Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin and host Claudia Winkleman. Beetroot soup with cumin-spiced chickpeas Roasting raw…

Kick-start your summer season with a visit to the BBC Good Food Show, returning to Birmingham’s NEC this June with a mouthwatering menu of inspiration. Our impressive line-up of chefs and experts will be ready to share their favourite summer recipes with you LIVE on the Big Kitchen stage. Witness Michelin magic from Tom Kerridge, Michel Roux Jr and Raymond Blanc, pick up tips and tricks from Mary Berry, be inspired by Show favourite James Martin, and laugh out loud with the entertaining Hairy Bikers. From sampling and shopping to live interviews and masterclasses, the BBC Good Food Show has everything you need to get set for a delicious summer. Readers save 20% *  on tickets – quote GFR6 when prompted Readers save 20% *  on tickets –…

Basic curried roast chickpeas SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 2 x 400g cans chickpeas 11/2 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp each caraway and mustard seeds 1 tbsp curry powder Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Drain the chickpeas and pat with a tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Tip them onto a roasting tray, toss with the oil, seeds and seasoning and roast for 20 mins until golden brown. Toss in the curry powder and enjoy. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 200 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 1g • carbs 19g • sugars 1g • fibre 7g • protein 9g • salt none Curry leaf popcorn SERVES 1 PREP…

Ingredients in-depth: Asparagus You’ll see British asparagus popping up everywhere this month but the season is short, so make the most of it (see p68 for our crab & asparagus pappardelle) Sprue These are the slimmer, early stalks, harvested to thin out the ground before the main crop comes through. The tall, slender spears often don’t need trimming and need very little cooking. Delicious steamed, griddled or stir-fried. Green The iconic thick-stemmed British version with a purple blush on the tip. The stalks need trimming (see below) then the spears can be steamed, boiled or roasted. Choose spears that are firm with tight tips and try and cook as soon as possible after purchase. White More popular than green in the rest of Europe, white is being grown and becoming…

Invest in a stick blender to make spring soups, smoothies, sauces and much more. We put them to the test and picked our favourite versions. BEST ALL-ROUNDER 1 Sage by Heston Blumenthal Control Grip All-in-One stick blender £120 amazon.co.uk This works as a comprehensive food processor and allows you to grate, chop, whisk and mash to your heart’s content. The number of attachments appears a bit overwhelming at first but they proved very straightforward to use. STAR BUY 2 Kenwood Triblade hand blender £69 John Lewis The standard blade slots on easily, blends well and is smooth and quiet. The soup attachment quickly blended a super-smooth soup and there are others for chopping, whisking and mashing. The bowl and beaker both have plastic lids if you want…

SERVES 8-10 PREP 30 mins plus soaking the sultanas COOK 45 mins EASY V DRY INGREDIENTS 4 cups (370g) ground almonds 1 cup (110g) coconut chunks, blended until they look like breadcrumbs 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp good quality sea salt 2 limes, zested WET INGREDIENTS oil spray, for the tins 3 eggs, plus 2 yolks 1 cup (180ml) maple syrup 1 cup (200g) can pineapple chunks, drained and chopped 1 cup (230g) unsweetened apple purée (we used Biona) 1 cup (140g) golden sultanas, soaked for half an hour in warm bourbon and drained 1 cup (125g) carrots, peeled, finely grated and squeezed to minimise juice 1 Prepare three 20cm cake tins by spraying the sides with oil and lining the bottoms.…

1 Unprocessed or minimally processed Fresh or frozen fruit, veg & meat, grains, flour, fish, pulses, eggs, milk. 2 Processed culinary ingredients Vinegar, oils, butter and salts, extracted from nature, used to season or cook. 3 Processed foods Cured meats, cheese, canned fruit and veg, salted or sugared nuts and seeds. 4 Ultra-processed Fizzy drinks, biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, sweets, chicken nuggets, packet soups. Do you agree with Joanna? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter #bbcgfopinion next month Don’t let Joanna see you eating at your desk…