Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i Good Food

‘Would you rather your Dad did a dance at school or your Mum had a row in a café?’ This line from Would You Rather..., the children’s book of impossible choices, always makes me laugh – and touches a nerve. Forget the dad dancing: why do people find it so difficult to send food back without making a scene? My partner used to cringe if I said I was going to tell a waiter my tuna was overcooked or the rosé wasn’t chilled. Now he doesn’t worry, as I’ve never actually complained in a restaurant. It’s more effective – and courteous – to quietly explain something isn t right and, if appropriate, suggest how to correct it. Mistakes happen, and a good restaurant will be grateful for the chance to…

Pineapple 2018 might be the year of the pineapple, as demand for the tropical fruit is at an all-time high. Tesco recently reported its pineapple sales up by 15% from last year. Turn to page 52 to make our pork & pineapple skewers. Greaseproof notebook Are you a home cook with a notebook full of stained, barely legible recipes? Then this one’s for you. This notepad by Stone Notebook is made from a water- and grease- resistant material, meaning you can be as messy as you like, but your notes will remain clean! Ruby chocolate Completely free from colourings, flavourings and additives, ruby chocolate is made using ruby beans found in Ecuador, Brazil and the Ivory Coast. The beans have a fruity flavour, resulting in a bar that tastes like…

Colin Clague, chef-patron of new Anatolian restaurant Ruya in London’s Mayfair ( ruyalondon.com ), guides us through the key dishes in modern Turkish cuisine Isli patlican A smoked purée of aubergine, garlic and walnuts served with crispy aubergines. Lakerda is a traditional salted bonito (fish) dish from the Bosphorus – a waterway in northwestern Turkey. We serve it with homemade tarama (fish roe) and compressed cucumber. Black cabbage sarma Sarma means stuffed so like vine leaves, we stuff the leaves with spiced lamb and Turkish rice and serve them with a fragrant lamb consommé and minted yogurt. Balik ekmek Based on the traditional fish sandwich found on the boats of Istanbul, this sandwich is made with grilled mackerel, lettuce, tomato and sumac.…

BEER GOGGLES Three Hop Lager This is a devil of a brew. How do we know this? Because the ABV is cheekily marked as 4.666% on the can! It comes from Hobo Beer & Co in collaboration with Hogs Back Brewery in Surrey. The Pils-styled beer undergoes a two-week warm maturation and a week cold to deliver a fruity subtle citrus aroma and full flavour. Head brewer at Hogs Back, Miles Chesterman, says, ‘In 2014, we planted our own 31/2-acre revival hop garden, the first new hop garden in the old hop-growing region of Farnham for nearly 100 years. We use some of these hops in the production of Hobo’s Three Hop Lager.’ hobobeerandco.co.uk GIN O'CLOCK Duck and Crutch The beautiful bottle designed by co-founder Hollie Freestone first caught our…

As the issues surrounding plastic become more apparent, we’re looking into ways to reduce plastic use in the food and drink industry. One solution is using food and drink packaging made from plants, like the packaging made by Vegware (vegware.com). Vegware explains: ‘Conventional packaging is made from finite resources. A mix of materials and food residue make it difficult to recycle, so it’s either burned or thrown into landfill. Vegware is different – it’s made from plants and can be recycled with food waste where facilities exist. It breaks down in less than 12 weeks in industrial composting and returns nutrients to the soil.’ Vegware packaging (containers, cups, straws etc) is made from plant-based PLA (polylactic acid) – a biopolymer made from fermented plant starch (usually corn). It’s a great…

Rosa’s Thai Café: The Vegetarian Cookbook by Saiphin Moore (£20, Mitchell Beazley) Vegetarians often struggle with Thai as most dishes contain meat stock and fish sauce, so this book, from the woman behind the hugely successful Rosa’s Thai Café restaurant group, helps to solve that problem with plant-based versions of Thai classics and local specialties from her hometown in northern Thailand. Must-try recipe Tofu holy basil stir-fry Max’s Sandwich Shop by Max Halley and Ben Benton (£14.99, 535) You might think you don’t need a recipe for a sandwich, but these incredible creations from north London’s legendary sandwich shop are a meal in themselves, stuffed with everything from braised beef, kimchi and deep fried ramen noodles to carrot bhajis and curried lamb. Messy, fun and…

A classic daiquiri, done properly, is actually a very minimalist drink: just white rum, sugar and lime. This simplicity makes it a real favourite among bartenders, because it really allows the character of the rum to shine. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V 50ml white rum 25ml lime juice 10ml sugar syrup ice Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER SERVING 146 kcals • fat none • saturates none • carbs 7g • sugars 7g • fibre none • protein none • salt none 3 TWISTS Strawberry daiquiri This cocktail should only be attempted with fruit that’s really ripe and sweet – if the berries are the big, bland variety from the…

Chocolate & hazelnut croissant buns SERVES 12 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll a 350g pack croissant dough and squeeze the perforated lines back together. Spread with 200g chocolate hazelnut spread and scatter over 100g chopped toasted hazelnuts. From one of the longer sides, roll up the dough to make a long sausage. Cut into 12 buns and put each one in the hole of a muffin tin, cut-side up. Bake for 20 mins until golden. Chicken tacos SERVES 8 PREP 25 mins COOK 5 mins EASY Shred 1 whole cooked chicken. Mix with a sachet of fajita spice mix, 3 tbsp smoky BBQ sauce and 3 tbsp water. Cover with cling film and microwave for 4 mins, stirring halfway. Whizz…

READY IN 30 Spiced cauliflower SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cut1/ 2 small cauliflower into florets, saving the leaves. Tip the florets into a bowl and toss with 1 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Tip the cauliflower onto a baking tray, cook for 20 mins, then add the cauliflower leaves, give everything a good mix and cook for a further 5 mins. Spread a 200g tub plain hummus onto a plate. Top with the roasted cauliflower and 1 tbsp Bombay mix. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 525 kcals • fat 42g…

Lemon & yogurt chicken flatbreads SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus 1 hr marinating COOK 5-10 mins EASY 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1 lemon 1 tsp dried oregano (optional) 1 garlic clove, crushed pinch cinnamon 1 tbsp olive oil 4 flatbreads 4 tbsp Greek yogurt 1/4 red pepper, finely chopped 1 Little Gem lettuce, finely chopped 1 Put the chicken in a bowl. Pare strips of zest from the lemon using a vegetable peeler, then juice the lemon too. Add the peel and half the juice to the chicken, along with the oregano (if using), garlic, cinnamon and oil. Mix well, cover and chill for an hour. The lemon juice will start to ‘cook’ the chicken, so don’t leave for longer. 2 Heat the barbecue. If you…

Every single BBC Good Food recipe at your fingertips – that’s what we’re offering you with our app, available to download for free on Apple, Android and Windows devices. You’ll be able to easily search for, save, sort and then share your favourite recipes – plus once you’ve saved a recipe you’ll be able to view it offline, too. Download it now at bit.ly/bbcgoodfoodapp. Tequila sunrise SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V 2 tsp grenadine ice 50ml tequila 1 tbsp triple sec 1 large orange, or 2 small ones, juiced ½ lemon, juiced 1 cocktail cherry 1 Pour the grenadine into the base of a tall glass and set aside. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the tequila,…

Running a restaurant and pubs involves long hours and a lot of hard work. When I get a rare weekend off, I still like to cook – I’m a chef, I’m happiest in the kitchen – but what I cook, especially this time of year, is quick and simple. I let the ingredients speak for themselves. This doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to show off. I just know what tweaks to make, tricks to add and ready-cooked ingredients to use to turn something quick and effortless into something impressive. Charred asparagus, smoked salmon, shrimp & rye crumb This starter is quick and full of lovely flavours. You can griddle sprue asparagus (the thin first pickings) from raw, but if the spears you buy are thicker, boil them first for a…

Pickled beef Pickling meat is another example of the resourcefulness of Indian cooking – it’s a great way to make meat last longer. I love to serve this on freshly toasted mini chapatis topped with some grated paneer, pickled shallots and shredded coriander, as shown in the picture (right). SERVES 10 PREP 10 mins plus draining COOK 1 hr A CHALLENGE 1kg bavette (flank) steak 200ml mustard oil 200ml vegetable oil 6 tbsp ginger & garlic paste (see below) 4 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder or smoked paprika 2 tbsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp ground fenugreek 1 tbsp ground mustard seeds 200ml lime juice 200ml malt vinegar 1 Cut the steak into 2cm pieces. Wash in cold water three times, then sprinkle with a large pinch of salt to extract…

Roll out the rested dough, dusting it with semolina or ‘00’ flour using a rolling pin, or simply flatten it with your hands into a rough rectangle just wide enough to fit through the rollers of the pasta machine. Set the machine to its widest setting and roll the pasta through. Dust the pasta again and roll it through again on a notch down on the machine to reduce the gap between the rollers. Cut the length of pasta in half or quarters depending on the amount you are rolling. Repeat the dusting and rolling process again, this time two notches down. Finally, repeat the process on the last notch (for long pasta) or penultimate notch (for ravioli) to obtain the required thickness of the pasta.…

FITNESS Beetroot boost The fitness world is full of ‘go-faster’ fads that promise to rev your engine and have you flying over the finish line. Beetroot juice is one of the few products with claims that have stood up to rigorous testing. ‘Recent research has continued to show that dietary nitrates (in particular from beetroot juice) can be an endurance booster,’ explains James Collins, elite performance nutritionist. ‘They work by improving the efficiency of the muscles as the nitrates reduce the amount of oxygen required to produce energy.’ Your response to these potent compounds will be individual and James advises experimenting during training sessions to see if it’s right for you. ‘Half a litre of beetroot juice is about the right dose, or you can now buy handy shots that…

Save yourself money by taking a packed lunch to work or school. These are our tried-and-tested, leakproof lunchboxes. BEST LEAKPROOF DESIGN 1 Tala Push & Push lunchbox £3.49 amazon.co.uk The lid locks tightly in place and only opens when both of the push tabs are pressed at the same time, making it 100% leakproof. If you hate it when salad dressing gets all over your fork, then this lunchbox is ideal as the recyclable cutlery has its own compartment inside the lid. The box is a good size for a large portion of pasta, salad, or leftovers. Available in different sizes. BEST LAYOUT 2 Lakeland double decker collapsible lunchbox £19.99 lakeland.co.uk Ideal for anyone looking to save a bit of space in their bag or Tupperware…

If you’ve been watching BBC Two’s One Million Pound Drop, you’ll know how difficult it is to be a restaurateur – and what goes on behind the scenes to make a good concept great. Yes, fantastic food is a must, but so too is super service, friendly staff – and financial backing. The show gives some of Britain’s brightest food talent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to realise their dreams of running their own place. Hosted by restaurant general manager Fred Sirieix (of First Dates fame), each episode sees two sets of budding restaurateurs competing to secure investment. The last three programmes see pitches from soul-food inspired takeaway Trap Kitchen, vegan Thai stall holders Greedy Khao; bubble-and-squeak fans Bubble&, Korean supperclub hopeful Dynasty; and, in the final programme, upmarket burger bar owners…

“As I get older, I enjoy simpler tastes. You can’t beat good cheese with a bit of jelly” Star of the BBC drama Requiem , Tara Fitzgerald, 50, made her name in the 1991 film Hear My Song . She went on to appear in Sirens with Hugh Grant and Brassed Off with Ewan McGregor and, in 1995, she won plaudits for playing Ophelia opposite Ralph Fiennes in Hamlet in the West End and on Broadway. On TV she is known for playing Dr Eve Lockhart in Waking the Dead and Selyse Baratheon in Game of Thrones . My first food memory is of cocktail…

LONG WEEKENDS • BEACH RETREATS • BOOZY BREAKS BUDGET TRIPS • CITY BREAKS • FAMILY HOLIDAYS • SPAS 1. VENICE FOR ICE CREAM AND HIDDEN PLACES  preparesyou your trip to Venice; the miracle of the buildings on the water, alleyways bursting onto sun-beaten squares and the glow of Aperol spritzes. The best and cheapest way to get about is walk, so if taking the family, be prepared, but Venice is a joy for children with lots of bridges to cross and ice cream to eat. Good food can be hard to come by here, so hop off the beaten track. In Campo San Polo find La Corte Birraria where you can sit in the square and eat pizza made from 72-hour dough from between £7 -13 or linguine with cuttlefish costing £12 (birrarialacorte.it). Pasticceria…

Rob Hughes ‘I like to create new dishes at home, with inspiration from around the world. This recipe evolved by blending a Moroccan-style tagine and a slow cooker chicken curry recipe. I firmly believe lamb should always be cooked slowly, otherwise it can be chewy. Leaving it to slow cook with the ginger, green chilli and spices really brings out the flavours.’ What is My Good Food? Save, organise comment on all your favourite recipes. Share your own recipe by visiting bbcgoodfood.com/user/login  to create an account or sign in, and add your recipe in the My Good Food area.…

Blueberry muffins Use this simple recipe as a base for different flavoured muffins. You can add any fruit, chocolate chips and nuts of your choice instead of the blueberries. MAKES 12 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V * 100g unsalted butter, softened 140g golden caster sugar 2 large eggs 140g natural yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp milk 250g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 125g pack blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then mix in the yogurt, vanilla and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder and bicarb in a bowl with1/4 tsp fine…

HOT TREND Za’atar croissants The French classic gets a Middle Eastern makeover – our cheat’s recipe is ready in 30 minutes HOT TREND A well-made plain croissant is a fine thing, but a red rag to an inventive baker. Bakeries all over the globe have always had fun adding flavours to croissants, and recently the ante has been upped. We’re not talking stuffing them with fillings like sandwiches, but baking all kinds of ingredients into the dough. Find them filled with real bacon pieces and maple syrup at Pophams Bakery in London (@pophamsbakery), twice-baked with a decadent coconut and almond frangipane centre and white chocolate pandan ganache at Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne (@lunecroissant), or doused with fruit pebbles, funfetti or given the red velvet treatment at Union Fare (@unionfare) in…

1 Character-packed rooms An overnight or weekend destination, this country house was once the home of newspaper magnate Lord Beaverbrook. Each of the luxurious bedrooms in the main house are named for his illustrious guests, such as Churchill, the Kennedys and Liz Taylor. 2 Japanese menu Sceptics may wonder if this is right in the English countryside but the main restaurant – overseen by chef Taiji Maruyama – is spectacular. At night, the Japanese grill serves the highest-quality sushi, sashimi and dishes cooked on the robata (grill) using seasonal ingredients grown in the grounds. 3 Must-order dishes include yellowtail tiradito with smoked yuzu and aubergine, and halibut marinated with koji. Feeling adventurous? The chef’s set menu (£55) includes ant-topped nigiri (it adds a pleasant crunch). 4 The Japanese breakfast is…

Lasagne al pane carasau Tomato & ricotta lasagne with pane carasau Sardinian pane carasau is more than just a simple flatbread, and can be made into a variety of dishes, such as this quick lasagne. Use the crispy bread as you would lasagne sheets. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V * 250g ricotta 25g grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling 1 tbsp milk 1 quantity of basic tomato sauce (below) 120g pane carasau (we used Crosta & Mollica Carta da Musica, available from ocado.com) handful of basil leaves 125g mozzarella, roughly chopped 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Combine the ricotta, parmesan and milk with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix together. 2 Line a 30 x 22cm ovenproof dish with…

The best thing about cooking in Argyll is the proximity to our ingredients and the people who supply them. Everything is extra fresh – we get the crab and langoustines straight from the waters outside the restaurant and the salad leaves, radishes and herbs were probably still in the ground that morning. One of my favourite dishes on the menu at Inver (inverrestaurant.co.uk) is the whole crab & brown butter. The crabs come straight from the loch in the morning and are on the menu hours later. We boil them and crack the claws a bit, then blend the brown head meat with brown butter and return to the shell. We serve it with sourdough bread and cultured butter. For me, the region’s best dish is Ballimore oysters. We mostly…

When someone says they’ve just tried the best cookies they’ve ever eaten, you have to sit up and take notice. As we all know, cookies are one of the simple pleasures of life, enhancing the joy of a cup of tea, or delivering a sweet hit of energy to combat the mid-afternoon slump. But, still, a cookie is only a cookie, isn’t it? Not when they’re made with salted butter and chocolate chunks to make a divine crunchy shortbread, they’re not. These babies are the creation of Alison Roman, the former senior food editor for America’s prestigious Bon Appetit magazine, she has 117,000 followers on Instagram (@alisoneroman). When she posted the image of her shortbread from her debut Dining In cookbook, the internet went bonkers, garnering nearly 6,000 likes. As…

Strawberry & elderflower gateau No one will believe you if you say this stunning gateau took just 30 minutes to make. Not only does it look amazing, it tastes like it’s from a top-end patisserie too. We’re pretty sure this will be your new go-to celebration cake. SERVES 10 PREP 30 mins NO COOK EASY V 2 x 200g sponge flan cases (25cm) 6 tbsp strawberry jam or conserve 400g strawberries (look for ones that are a similar size), halved 600ml double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus 150g 5 tbsp elderflower cordial 5-6 raspberries or some pink food colouring gel small handful pistachios (optional), slivered or roughly chopped (see tip) strawberry coulis or cream, to serve 1 Remove the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin (make sure it’s…

Maybe just one glass. Of something good.’ It is Tuesday night and a friend has come round for a plate of food and a quick catch-up. Hmm. Good I can do. The one glass bit is more tricky – especially as I don t think I can palm him off with a slightly ropy… ‘Wait, I can see you mentally running through the bottles you don’t like enough to mind leaving half of. Just open something you really like and finish it off tomorrow.’ He knows me too well. Or perhaps not well enough: I don’t want to feel obliged to drink tomorrow, or to find myself ruefully staring at undrunk wine that has lost its joy and freshness overnight. At times like this, I often think the 75cl bottle…

READY IN 30 Baked green eggs SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix together 100g chopped spinach, 4 tbsp vegetarian pesto, 100ml double cream and some seasoning, and tip into two individual shallow ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp finely grated Gruyère or vegetarian alternative. Make two shallow hollows in the mixture and break an egg into each hollow. Bake for 10-12 mins until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. GOOD TO KNOW calcium PER SERVING 579 kcals • fat 54g • saturates 23g • carbs 3g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 19g • salt 1.5g Broccoli & pesto lentils SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V Heat oven to…

When I was nine, I started to cook – mostly helping around the kitchen, but I was confident with a sharp chef’s knife, and knew where everything went when it was washed. Because of this, having the kids in the kitchen with me feels natural. They’ve been helping me from the moment they could sit up; chopping in a high chair; kneading sat on the worktop; or mixing cake batter in a bowl on the floor. One of the first things we ever made together, before my little girl was born, was rocky road. They measured, mixed and licked the bowl, but stayed away from the oven – they had to have something to work up to. I’ve always had only one rule in our kitchen: there are no rules.…

Crispy, nutty spelt flatbreads spread with fresh cheese and covered with tender asparagus and sweet peas; Jerseys smashed together with broad beans, crisped up in a frying pan to eat with juicy pork chops; crab folded with soft herbs and made into patties to eat with salad, and sweet apricots baked into blondies flecked with buttery pistachio frangipane. My recipes for June are a celebration of some of my favourite spring-summer ingredients, combined with low-effort cooking techniques to maximum effect. Apricot & pistachio frangipane blondies Sweet, golden apricots are such a treasure when summer comes, and I love eating them straight from the fruit bowl, but here they are baked to bring out their juiciness. The fruit can make the blondies a bit more fragile, so take care when dishing…

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’s 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. Kelly Country Shiraz 2017 There’s something of the Rhone meets the southern hemisphere about the Kelly Country Shiraz. There’s all the bold spicy flavours you’d hope for in an Australian shiraz but combined with a violet-tinged fragrance from the south of France. This wine would be great with pasta with raw sauce on page 90. Drakenskloof Chenin Blanc 2016 Chenin Blanc has been in the…

Pasta is a feeling as well as a fuel. In our opinion, there is nothing as satisfying to eat as a bowl of hot pasta clinging to a rich, intense sauce, from the aroma of the sauce warming in the pan to the first bite into al dente pasta that slides easily from fork to mouth. All pasta in Giancarlo’s household was fresh until the 1950s when dried pasta came onto the market and his mum was no longer tied to the kitchen table making it every day. I’m sure she loved her newfound freedom and time-saving packets of spaghetti. However, she and many other Italians never lost their love of freshly made pasta. For weekday meals, we buy dried pasta and sometimes splash out on fettuccine egg pasta. Otherwise,…

Tucked beneath the pub floor of The Blue Posts in London’s Chinatown is teeny, tiny Evelyn’s Table with all of 15 seats mostly arranged around a bar. The views are of the kitchen – and all that happens within it. Plates can be shared but you’ll wish you were eating alone. The beef tartare, with the addition of parmesan mousse, is stupendous. Pasta is made daily at 3pm and the fish from Looe market is shown to you in all its perky freshness before it is cooked. Order cocktails from the Mulwray two floors above to kick off with and if tarte Tatin is on the dessert menu, choose that – it’s a leader in its field. Zoë and Layo Paskin of The Palomar and The Barbary have shown another…

Broad beans are in season from June to September (see p67 for Rosie Birkett’s pork chops with broad bean & minted Jersey smash). If you’re buying them whole, here’s what you need to know: Podded beans This means the beans have been removed from the pods but are still in their skins. Double-podded beans These have been podded, boiled briefly, cooled and pinched out of their skins. Do they really need double-podding? Unless they’re young (the size of a fingernail), they’ll eat better when removed from their leathery skins. Broad bean maths If your recipe only has the podded or peeled weight, follow this general rule: for every 100g of peeled broad beans, you need to buy 300g in their pods.…

1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the skin from the chicken and set aside. Cover the chicken with cling film and bash out to flatten slightly, then put in a large bowl with half of the lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Set aside. 2 If you’re making the crackling, lay the chicken skin on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and sprinkle with sea salt. Put another piece of baking parchment on top, then weigh it down with a baking tray. Roast for 25-30 mins until crisp and golden. 3 Meanwhile, trim the crusts off the sourdough and tear the centre into pieces. Tip onto a baking tray, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and finely…

1. BPA-free The lunchbox, especially if it contains plastic, should be completely safe to store food inside. 2. Size and storage We searched for boxes of all shapes and sizes to suit different needs, excluding anything that seemed a poor use of space. 3. Cleaning properties We looked for boxes that were easy to clean. Those that could go in the dishwasher were preferable, but for those that weren’t, we made sure they could be cleaned easily by hand. 4. Aesthetics We were on the lookout for any fun and unique designs. Any additional features such as cutlery, separate compartments, or cooling packs were also taken into consideration. 5. Leak test Every lunchbox was put through our ‘leak test’ – filled with wet and dry foods, closed tightly shut and…

1 Look for pre- and post-theatre set menus, usually 5-6.30pm and after 10pm. 2 Keep an eye out for soft launches and 50% off deals in London on Hot Dinners (hot-dinners.com/offers). 3 TravelZoo (travelzoo.com/uk/collection/local-deals ) and Book a Table (bookatable.co.uk) regularly have discounts on restaurants, with over 50% off and set deals with drinks. 4 Restaurants frequently offer affordable meals at less popular times. Good Food contributing editor Tom Kerridge’s Hand and Flowers pub in Marlow has a set lunch for £25 for two courses (thehandandflowers.co.uk/menus/set-lunch); while at his second pub in Marlow, The Coach (thecoachmarlow.co.uk), sharing dishes start at just £3.50.…

Dreamy, delicious and dangerous, once you have one mouthful of this ice cream, you’ll want the whole tub! You can also serve these in eight lined ramekins – just tip them out to serve. SERVES 10 PREP 10 mins plus at least 3 hrs freezing COOK 10 mins EASY V * 150g caster sugar 4 tbsp golden syrup 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 600ml double cream 1 x 397g can condensed milk 1 Line a small baking tin with baking parchment. To make the honeycomb, gently heat the sugar and syrup in a deep saucepan for around 3-5 mins. Try not to let the mixture bubble until the sugar grains have disappeared. Once completely melted, simmer, without stirring, until you have a caramel the colour of dark honey (a few…

Your food heaven? Lots of nibbles: little pots of pâté, salads and cheeses. I love bread as a dipper. You can’t beat breaking off a piece of crusty bread, it’s so satisfying. And food hell? Anything without sauce, or chewy, overcooked meat. Favourite celebrity chef? Heston Blumenthal: I have eaten at The Fat Duck. He creates an event around food, which I think has helped to create a different understanding of food in this country. It seems to me that people are now more interested in the provenance of produce – they care about food. Describe yourself in three words: Analytical, curious, sharp. Your ideal weekend? A surprise weekend, somewhere in Europe, with a heavy focus on food. Dream dinner party guests? My family, Edward…

5 Make macarons in Paris Seek out bakeries Du Pain et des Idées (dupainetdesidees.com) for the flakiest viennoiserie and excellent coffee. Learn to make macarons at English-speaking La Cuisine on the Seine. You’ll leave with a box of your own to take home. A two-hour lesson is £54. lacuisineparis.com Cassie Best 6 Taste ham in Lisbon Visit Mantelgaria Silva in downtown Lisbon and enjoy slivers of acorn-fed ham that are silky in texture and nutty in flavour. Unlike in Spain, these Portuguese hams are sliced with a Berkel slicer, not by hand, and are whisper-thin in comparison. manteigariasilva.pt 7 Try matcha in Tokyo Whipped to a foam with a specialist bamboo whisk, matcha here is best eaten with wagashi (Japanese sweets) to offset the delicate bitter notes. Try some at the…

Andi Oliver, broadcaster and chef; Sheila Dillon, presenter of The Food Programme; Mitch Tonks, restauranteur; Jaega Wise, drinks writer; Tom Parker Bowles, food writer; Nigel Barden, broadcaster and chef; Romy Gill, chef and writer; Kathleen Kerridge, writer for The Guardian; Mike Stones, food writer; John Vincent, co-founder of Leon restaurants; Tim Hayward, food writer and broadcaster; Fiona Beckett, food and drinks writer; Adam Henson, farmer and broadcaster; Charlotte Smith, presenter of Farming Today; Stephen Terry, chef; Rachel McCormack, presenter of The Kitchen Cabinet; Paula McIntyre, chef.…

HOT TOPIC Joanna’s article (above) sparked a lot of debate, here’s what else you had to say about it… Howard Sprenger @reg_nerps We have become increasingly dissatisfied with chains. The other day: ‘Sorry, we’re out of Dauphinoise potatoes’. In other words, ‘chef has no more packs to microwave’. People deserve better. Rhys Jones @rhysj3 I agree – independent restaurants generally serve better-quality food with superior local ingredients. Michelle H @neemaurice ‘Grown-up’ me is a strong supporter of local businesses, but the ‘practical parent’ me seeks out a chain where they usually get the kids’ menu right and have a family-friendly environment. Alex Gazzola @healthjourno I’ll make a small plea for the allergy/ coeliac folk: standardised menus at chains offer safe, convenient and familiar options, especially for kids on restricted diets.…

Greek salad hot dogs Lean, veg-packed sausages are bang on-trend right now. Use these new chicken, feta & spinach ones from Sainsbury’s for a healthier, Greek-style version of a hot dog. SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 15 mins EASY Fry the sausages in 1 tbsp oil over a medium-high heat for around 15 mins, turning every few mins. Slice the cherry tomatoes and olives from the Greek salad in half. Spread 1 tbsp hummus in each section of baguette, then scatter in a handful of Greek salad mix, reserving the feta & olives. Once the sausages are cooked, slice in half and add two halves to each sliced bagette, and finish with a scattering of feta and olives. GOOD TO KNOW low cal PER SERVING 485 kcals • fat…

BRITAIN'S BEST HOME COOK The BBC’s home cooking contest reaches its climax on Thursday 21 June at 8pm on BBC One. So, what will the three finalists cook to impress Mary Berry? Tasked with creating their ‘Ultimate’ main and dessert, we hear that ox cheeks, beef Wellington and spiced lamb shanks are on the menu. BBC FOOD AND FARMING AWARDS Some truly inspiring food producers and cooks have made it through this year. Sheila Dillon profiles the three finalists on 10 June before hosting the award ceremony itself which you can listen to in two parts on 17 June at 12.30pm and 18 June at 3.30pm on BBC Radio 4. Kathryn Custance • Turn to page 142 for previous Food and Farming winners…

Apricot & thyme preserve This was gorgeous on hot buttered sourdough (I ate four slices!). The thyme gives it a fresh herbal edge to balance the sweetness and it has a nice soft set. Its next outing will be on warm scones cream. £2.99 (200g), Waitrose Pampelle Ruby L’apéro A bitter liqueur with citrus notes, Pampelle is made from Corsican ruby red grapefruits as well as citrus peel, natural botanicals and Eau de Vie (fruit brandy). Try it with soda water or sparkling wine. £20, thewhiskey exchange.com Onist Food Chocolate Orange Healthy Avocado Choc Pot This tastes like an indulgent mousse but is in fact made from a blend of avocados, cashews, dates, cocoa and water, and flavoured with orange, making it a healthier treat. £3.50(102g), ocado.com Groix et…

Jamie Day is a father of two and award-winning parenting blogger, ‘instadad’ and freelance writer. He’s also the editor of The FMLY Man; a popular blogzine for like-minded dads sharing the highs and lows of modern-day fatherhood. @thefmlyman @adayinthelifedad Father’s Day gift box, £24, ladybakewellpark.com Guaranteed to raise two smiles on Father’s Day; one for the delicious taste, and one for the personalised design, these biscuits are a must for dads with a sweet tooth. Salt Made from Tears range, £38, monstersupplies.org If the foodie dad in your life is a father to little monsters, this scary salt range is perfect to add a little bite to their seasoning. Farringdon wine rack, £95, grahamandgreen.co.  uk One day I’ll have a…

Banoffee tart SERVES 8 PREP 10 mins NO COOK EASY V Whip 450ml double cream and fold through 4 tbsp caramel or dulce de leche. Use it to fill 1 shop-bought pastry case. Top the cream mixture with 2 sliced bananas, another drizzle of caramel and some chocolate shavings, then serve in slices. Naan bread pizzas SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put a large baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Mix 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp tomato purée and 1 tbsp mango chutney together in a bowl. Spread the mixture over 2 medium shop-bought naans. Crack an egg onto each one and crumble over 100g feta. Cook for about 10 mins, or until the egg white…

Summer meatballs & spaghetti SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp fennel seeds 250g pork mince large handful parsley, leaves chopped, stalks finely chopped 1 large courgette, peeled into ribbons all around the edge, centre grated or finely chopped 200g spaghetti ½ lemon, zested and juiced grated parmesan, to serve 1 Heat1/2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and soften for 5 mins, then add the garlic and fennel and cook for 2 mins longer. Tip into a bowl. Add the pork mince, parsley stalks and grated courgette to the bowl, season well, mix, and shape into 10 meatballs. Heat the remaining oil…

“Online food hack videos are a huge trend at the moment. These snappy one-minute clips help make your cooking easier and, more importantly, faster. I can’t help thinking that my mum was well ahead of this curve back in the early 90s. A whirlwind in the kitchen, mum would create fussy teen-friendly meals in minutes by coming up with the most ingenious tips and tricks. I remember strolling into the kitchen when I got home from school to find her whirling round the kitchen making dinner; a few scored tomatoes sat in a bowl of boiled water to help the skins come off quickly, jacket potatoes getting a head start in the microwave before baking, and ingredients being snipped into pieces with kitchen scissors to save chopping. Not a board…

Being active in the kitchen doesn’t have to mean cooking. One of my kids doesn’t always like cooking, so I ask him to do the dishes – kids love playing withwater.Startsmall,like settingthetable,emptying thedishwasheror putting away the shopping. Get children to serve themselves at mealtimes. This is an easy task that nevertheless helps to make them feel much more grown-up. Their confidence will sky rocket. Ask the kids to make a meal every few weeks – the simpler the better to begin with. They will naturally want to venture out and try something new eventually. Even if they make you the same meal every time, they’re still gaining experience and confidence.…

There are some ingredients – ones I particularly love – that make my children raise an eyebrow. They make this ‘Really? Again?’ face when I suggest dishes that contain smoked paprika (the flavour of Spain, the essence of chorizo), feta (cold, salty and so good with anything warm and sweet, such as roast sweet potatoes), anchovies (more salt, and an intense umami fishiness) and, most of all, capers. I am never without a ready supply of all these foods. Capers are the pickled flower buds of the caper bush and mean more saltiness (they’re preserved in salt or brine), but in gorgeous little herbal bursts. Like anchovies, capers have strength and pungency (it doesn’t take many to make a difference) and taste of the Med. They have a sun-baked quality.…

Lemon & verbena tart with raspberries Lemon tart is my all-time favourite dessert. I like to add verbena leaves as they have a magical lemon sherbert flavour, but you can also use lemon thyme or lemon balm instead. You could also use an optional duck egg yolk to make the filling ultra-rich against that tangy lemon flavour. SERVES 8-10 PREP 30 mins plus at least 1 hr 30 mins chilling and cooling COOK 1 hr EASY V For the pastry 190g softened unsalted butter 1 egg yolk, beaten large pinch golden caster sugar 40g whole milk 250g plain flour, extra for dusting For the filling 20 lemon verbena leaves 150ml double cream 6 egg yolks (I use 5 chicken and 1 duck) 160g golden caster sugar 4 lemons, juiced and…

MAKES Enough long pasta for 4 as a main, 6 as a starter 200g ‘00’ flour, plus a little extra if necessary 2 large free range eggs The standard recipe for fresh pasta calls for 1 large egg to every 100g (31/2 oz) of ‘00’ flour. For dusting, use coarse semolina as it acts like tiny ball bearings which don’t stick to the pasta. Using a food processor. Put the flour and eggs into a food processor and whizz to combine just until it starts to come into a ball of dough. Tip onto the table and knead until smooth. Rest the dough once made (see step 3). 1 Pour the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well. Using…

Cajun prawn pizza SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY * For the base 200g wholemeal flour, plus extra for kneading 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 2 tsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for oiling For the topping 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 large celery sticks, finely chopped 1 yellow or green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 225g can chopped tomatoes 1 tsp smoked paprika 165g pack raw peeled king prawns 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander 1/2-1 tsp Cajun spice mix 2 handfuls rocket (optional) 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a mixer with a dough hook or bowl, and add the yeast,1/8 tsp salt, oil and 150ml warm water, then mix well to a soft dough. Knead in the mixer for 5 mins. If…

Anchovies in oil The easiest to buy, these are salted anchovies (see below) that have been prepared, so they’re ready to use. They come in resealable jars or cans, and can be blended into dressings or used as a pungent seasoning. Plus, you can keep the anchovy-infused oil to add flavour other recipes. Salted anchovies Use these when you want the anchovy fillets to be on show in your dish. These have a stronger flavour than anchovies in oil, but they need to be prepared, which involves rinsing and gently filleting them. This can be quite fiddly, so if you don’t have time to prepare them yourself, they can be substituted with sardines in oil. Marinated anchovies Also known by their Spanish name boquerones (bock-er-rone-es), these silver-skinned, white-fleshed fillets are…

‘With a little practice, it’s easy to make ribbons of silky, fresh-egg pasta. Not only does it have flavour, it also has the all-important “al dente” bite that makes it so good to eat.’ 1 PASTA MACHINE A good pasta machine, such as the ones made by Imperia, will make pasta making much easier than rolling it out by hand. It clamps onto a table or worktop and keeps steady while you use one hand to wind the handle and the other to feed the pasta through the rollers. It’s made of chrome-plated steel, which is easy to clean with a brush (never with water). The adjustable dial narrows the rollers to make the right thickness of pasta. It also has cutters to make fettucine or fine tagliolini. £69.95 johnlewis.com…

1 It’s more stressful to be a waiter than a neurosurgeon, according to scientists. Lower paid jobs with a high workload, such as waitering, leave employees at greater risk from heart problems and 58% more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke, according to research by Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, which analysed job-related health involving 138,700 participants. 2 One in 20 diners has walked out of a restaurant without paying, according to a new study by Barclaycard, which is launching a service, aptly called Dine & Dash, trialling at Prezzo. Customers using the app can tap, eat and go, bypassing conventional bill-paying transactions with waiters. 3 We’re a nation of restaurantkleptos. Flowers, plates, napkins, even toilet handles, are stolen on a daily basis. Jamie Oliver reported he loses 30,000…

Do you remember when tourists simply went on holiday? I miss that innocent era. Now we’re all ‘travellers’, we all ‘travel’, which is like going on holiday but more work. It is especially exhausting for we foodies who are determined that our every mouthful will be a flavour revelation that we’ll take to the grave (or Instagram, at least). If only that were true. This summer, instead, I am going to relax. Let’s start by busting some common travel food myths. Bon appétit! 1 Britain sucks Historically, British food was abysmal, which is why UK foodies are so desperate to eat well abroad. Deep in our DNA, we think it’s our only chance. Nonsense! You can eat as well in London (the world’s second most diverse food city, according to…

Since when did it become acceptable to eat breakfast at your desk? It even has a name – ‘desk-fasting’. Do you do it? Or do you have to put up with the munch and slurp of colleagues ploughing through bowls of cereal, or the stink of tepid all-day breakfast buns in takeaway cardboard cartons, which then get stuffed in the office bin? Perhaps you’ve learned to ignore the unwashed bowl of microwave porridge that festers on the desk opposite for most of the day, the spoon that’s been licked ‘clean’, not washed? I find this modern British habit pretty disgusting. For starters, desk-fasting is dirty. Computer keyboards and phones are germ warfare writ large. If I were an employer I’d call it slobbish, disorganised and unprofessional. People should turn up…

20 Bristol is bursting with restaurants, markets, breweries and bars, with Wapping Wharf the new epicentre. Casamia is where to blow the budget. For a laid-back experience, sip wine at Bar Buvette. 21 York Find cafés that make the most of local produce, classic tea rooms and international cuisine. Try the ever-changing eight-course tasting menu at La Cochon Aveugl, Skosh’s globe-trotting small plates and kid-friendly The Star Inn the City for breakfast. 22 Manchester Enjoy craft beers and the ‘curry mile’. Volta in West Didsbury has a laid-back feel and sharp, well executed small plates, North Tea Power serves the city’s best coffee and El Gato Nero is where to eat a Mancunian-Madrileño hybrid: morcilla Scotch eggs. 23 Birmingham Carter’s of Moseley is where to head for Michelin-starred fine dining,…

Easy slow cooker lamb curry This easy-to-make curry will knock your socks off! Have it with a glass of red wine. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 8 hrs EASY 650g lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 onions, roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, crushed 5cm piece ginger, grated 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp chilli powder (mild or hot) 1 green chilli, deseeded if you don’t like it hot and chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 300g Greek yogurt 1 small bunch coriander, chopped 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds rice, to serve 1 Heat the slow cooker if you need to. Season the lamb, then brown it in batches for 5-8 mins using a little oil for each batch. Transfer…

I get great pleasure in sitting back with a coffee each month and flicking through Good Food to pick out new and exciting recipes. This month, I made the rhubarb & gingernut cheesecake (April) and it was amazing – a definite crowd pleaser. I’ll be making this again and again. Sue Sparkes, Oxfordshire @northlondon_ foodie Nichola made our cheese & Marmite sausage rolls (April) – look at that crispy, cheesy pastry! @obsessive_ cooking_ disorder_81 Laura is enjoying Tom Kerridge’s mackerel club sandwich (April) @ourlifeblogged Check out this version of our roasted asparagus & smashed new potato salad (April). #bbcgoodfood…