Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i Good Food

Everybody loves brunch. Bigger than breakfast with fewer elements than a full-on Sunday lunch, it’s the relaxed way to treat friends, family or just yourself after a busy week. This month, Cassie Best cooks dishes influenced by our own breakfast traditions and those around the world, from our cover star fluffy pancake stack to chilli-spiked Turkish eggs. Crack open the cava (try our citrus cocktail on p19) and enjoy the weekend. To ensure our recipes work for you every time, the Good Food kitchen devises and tests more than 70 each month. This creates significant challenges in terms of packaging and food waste. We are committed to our three-point plan to reduce, recycle and reuse and, although we don’t purport to have all the answers, we hope you’ll find our…

London Chocolate These premium chocolate bars are full of complex flavours and have an impressively smooth texture. A great Valentine’s gift. £6.50 (62g bar), londonchocolate.co.uk We Are Tea sleep teabags We love this soothing tea in the evening. With its subtle notes of camomile, lavender, rose and holy basil, it’ll help you drift off. £3.50 (12 x 18g), Morrisons Belazu truffle & artichoke pesto An easy way to add a little luxury to meals. Stir into risotto or spread on sliced, toasted baguette and top with rocket for a speedy canapé. £3.05 (165g), ocado.com School of Wok Black Bean stir-fry kit Many bottled black bean sauces taste vinegary with little evidence of beans but this kit has an authentic taste and a pouch of beans to add texture. £2.99, Tesco…

Sourdough Sourdough bread is on the rise. According to Pinterest, there’s been a 77% increase in searches for ‘sourdough’ in the UK in the past year. Similarly, page views on our ‘sourdough bread’ recipe on bbcgoodfood.com increased by 480% and Waitrose reported that sales of its sourdough increased by a third. Vegan ranges It’s now easier than ever to be vegan as this year saw the launch of new plant-based ranges in several of the major supermarkets. The Plant Kitchen range at M&S includes a ‘no beef burger’ and vegan margherita pizza, while Sainsbury’s introduced 29 new products in January, including vegan chorizo-style shroom dogs. Dulse seaweed A type of seaweed, deep red in colour and rich in vitamin A, dulse is becoming a popular ingredient. It can be eaten…

The Ribble Valley is a hidden gem, only two hours from London by rail, it borders foodie counties Yorkshire and Cumbria, there’s beautiful countryside for wintry walks and plenty of comfort food. My three favourite dishes on the menu at the Northcote are firstly, the signature bramley apple ‘pie’ – this dessert is not what the diner expects; the elegant white chocolate globe is dusted with gold caramelised pastry and warm apple pie custard is poured over to reveal luxurious apple jelly, fresh apple, apple sorbet, milk & cream crisps, apple pie purée and old English cream. Secondly, the Cumbrian mutton with mutton sausage, carrot & Seville orange – mutton is fantastic in the winter months and marrying it with orange and carrot works so well; lastly the coconut, lime…

Cava cocktail This cocktail is a ray of sunshine in an otherwise cold and dreary month. A cinch to make but the flavours are complex enough to impress. SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 2 hrs EASY V 1/2 orange, juiced 1/2 lemon, juiced 50ml vodka 1 tsp cinnamon syrup (see tip, below) 1/2 tsp orange blossom water ice 250ml cava, to top up To garnish 1 small orange, finely sliced ice 1 Start by making the dried orange slices to garnish. Spread out the orange slices on a lined baking tray. Heat oven to 110C/ 90C fan/gas1/4 and cook for 2 hrs. Can be done a day ahead and stored in a container. 2 Pour the fruit juices, vodka, cinnamon syrup and orange blossom water into a cocktail shaker…

Set in a grade II-listed building housing a restored Victorian swimming pool, restaurant, tapas bar and spa, Lido Bristol Bar & Restaurant, in Clifton, offers its visitors an oasis of great food and relaxation. Executive chef Freddy Bird and his team offer a daily-changing menu that draws on Spanish, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences to deliver sharing dishes cooked over fire. On the evening, we’ll start with drinks before sitting down for dinner in the poolside terrace room. The five-course menu features a number of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including its famous wood-roast scallops, paired with a range of Spanish wines. Afterwards you’ll receive a goody bag worth £25, packed with foodie treats, to take home. lidobristol.com/eat-drink @LidoBristol @freddy_bird DATE 27 March 2019 LOCATION The Lido, Oakfield Place, Clifton, Bristol…

Roasted leeks with labneh, chickpeas & za’atar SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins plus 2 hrs straining COOK 20 mins EASY V Line a sieve with muslin and suspend over a bowl. Stir 4 tbsp natural yogurt with a pinch of salt and spoon into the muslin, then allow to strain for 2 hrs. Clean and chop 2 leeks into 2cm rounds. Drain a 400g can chickpeas and tip into a roasting tin with the leeks, then coat the whole lot with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp za’atar and a pinch of salt. Roast at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 for 20 mins or until the chickpeas are crisp and the leeks are tender and coloured. Spread the drained yogurt onto plates and top with the leeks and chickpeas. Season with…

Roast pork & apples It’s always useful having leftover roast meat after Sunday lunch. Use it shredded into a noodle soup or stir-fry, or make a pork version of a shepherd’s pie. SERVES 4-6 PREP 5 mins COOK 2 hrs 45 mins EASY 1 large onion, thickly sliced pork shoulder joint (about 2 kg) 1 tbsp rapeseed oil flaky sea salt ½ tsp fennel seeds (optional) 2 garlic cloves 4 eating apples, cored and quartered 800ml chicken stock roast or mashed potatoes and veg, to serve 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Tip the onion into a roasting tin and put the pork shoulder on top. Rub the pork skin with the oil and sprinkle with salt and the fennel seeds, if using. Tuck the garlic cloves under…

What should I eat before an early run? Struggling to stay fuelled for a morning training session? Performance nutritionist James Collins says: ‘You should eat before a harder training session as the body needs fuel from carbohydrates. For lighter, low-intensity training, a protein-based breakfast or even a fasted training session (exercising on an empty stomach) are generally fine.’ There are three morning situations to plan for: 1 The early riser If you wake up two hours before your run, good options include oats, granola, bagels, breakfast muffins, fruit smoothies and wholegrain toast topped with eggs. 2 Straight out of bed If you prefer to get straight on the road, try a small snack with quick-releasing energy, such as energy balls, fruit or a flapjack. If you struggle to eat first…

your base recipe Vegan ragu SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr EASY V * 30g dried porcini mushrooms 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, sliced few thyme sprigs 1 tsp tomato purée 100ml vegan red wine (optional) 250g dried green lentils 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes 250g pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced 250g pack portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp Marmite 1 Pour 800ml boiling water over the dried porcini and set aside for 10 mins. Meanwhile, pour 11/2 tbsp oil into a large pan and gently cook the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt, stirring for 10 mins, until soft. Remove the porcini and roughly chop. Set aside…

Lina Stores is no new kid on the block. The shop, on the corner of Brewer Street in London’s Soho, has been a must-visit location for discerning Italian food buyers since 1944. The restaurant opened last year and is located a short walk away on Greek Street, which keeps the staff fit, as they trundle between the two venues delivering fresh pasta and produce before service. Upstairs is an aperitivo bar, and downstairs pale ‘Lina green’ banquettes line the walls. There’s another small bar at the end, too – aperitivi are a must before any meal. Head chef Masha Rener grew up on the Tuscan/Umbrian border, and uses the best of the store’s ingredients for her dishes, many of which are local to those regions. The menu here won’t break…

Summer Kitchen Join Chris Bavin and a host of famous foodies sharing their top tips for a delicious summer. The line-up includes Dr Rupy Aujla from The Doctor’s Kitchen, The Happy Pear and more. Sample and shop Meet hundreds of the finest food and drink producers and discover great Show deals from brilliant brands. Pick up sweet treats and picnic essentials to enjoy outside in the sunshine! Get hands-on Learn new skills from the experts and pick up seasonal tips in food and drink masterclasses and tasting sessions. Head to the website to see what’s on and to book your place. Garden inspiration Continue the summer celebrations at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, included in your ticket. Get ideas and advice from gardening experts, including Monty Don and Carol Klein.…

Types of sugar White granulated is the best choice of sugar for a vibrantly coloured marmalade. Marmalade needs to be slow-cooked, so the fine grains of caster sugar aren’t suitable. Preserving sugar is a good choice as it has bigger grains than granulated but isn’t as readily available and is more expensive. Jam sugar contains extra pectin, which isn’t needed when cooking with oranges. Jam sugar is better suited for low pectin fruit preserves. Unrefined sugar Brown sugars like muscovado and demerara overshadow the fruit when used on their own, but when mixed with a white sugar they will give a darker, more bitter finish. Get kitted out Preserving pan The width and the sloping sides of a preserving pan help the preserve reduce quickly, so it reaches the right…

Pasta with salmon & peas Cook some wholemeal pasta according to pack instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Mix the hot pasta with any leftover flaked salmon and peas from the roast salmon & baby potatoes recipe on p63. Add some crème fraiche and a splash of pasta water, then scatter over some chopped chives, if you like. Lamb cassoulet Blitz chunks of white bread (stale is perfect) with a handful of parsley, thyme or mint and some garlic to a rough crumb. Tip any leftover Breton braised lamb & haricot beans from the recipe on p84 into a shallow baking dish, scatter with the crumbs, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 mins until the crumb is golden…

At Good Food we are trying to find realistic solutions to the problem of food waste and packaging generated by our test kitchen. We test around 80 recipes a month as well as making videos and taking pictures of food and products that come in all sorts of packaging, and we also make waste as we cook. We eat all of the food that comes out of the test kitchen within the company, so when we talk about waste, we mean peelings, offcuts and – on the rare occasion that a recipe goes horribly wrong and is inedible – a complete dish. Each Friday staff take unused ingredients home and we challenge our cookery assistant Liberty to make lunch using as many leftovers as possible. Of course, kitchen waste…

The Spoon ( thespoon.tech ) is an American website that reports on food tech. We asked Chris Albrecht, managing editor, to suggest what might be coming up to help us produce less food waste. Fighting food waste can feel like an unending, uphill battle. Thankfully, new technology on the horizon might help turn the tide and make the most of your food storage. Apeel (apeelsciences.com) makes Edipeel, a plant-based coating that’s applied to fruits and vegetables before they get to the grocer to ward off oxygen and maintain their freshness for longer, reducing the need for plastic packaging. New gadgets are coming to market to improve your leftovers situation. Ovie smart tags (ovie.life) are light-up discs that connect to the web and can be affixed to…

1 Animal welfare Look for ‘native’ or rare breeds which must meet high welfare standards to be registered: Gloucester Old Spot pork, Hereford beef and Herdwick lamb are common examples. 2 Sustainable fish 90 per cent of the world’s fish are either fully or overexploited. Refer to the Marine Stewardship Council app. 3 Think seasonally Because if a restaurant is serving strawberries in December, they aren’t sourcing them from the UK. 4 Look beyond the menu See if the restaurant is listed with the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). Andrew Stephen, CEO, explains, ‘More and more restaurants are reaping the benefits for their bottom line and the planet by investing in a mix of technology.’ 5 Spot the plastic Look for restaurants with filtered still and sparkling water systems – and…

“Three times a day we’ve got the power to make a positive impact on the planet simply by what we buy and eat” Thomasina Miers arrives at my house with her three daughters. It’s a rare day away from the restaurants but her kids have a day off school, so she’s multi-tasking and it’s chaos in the nicest way. I feed them muffins, introduce them to our dog, cats and tortoise, and park the children in the garden so I can lure Tommi into my kitchen. We make her legendary cheat’s ravioli and drink too much coffee. EF Thirteen years ago, at the age of 29, you were the first winner of MasterChef – now you run nearly 30 restaurants, and have just been made an OBE. How has all…

When it comes to choosing wines from a restaurant list, are you a confident adventurer, a panicker or a creature of habit? Confident adventurers don’t need my help – they’re off roaming the wine list in search of a producer they’ve heard is good or a grape they’ve never tried before. Panickers dither and struggle and then find it hard to believe they’ve picked a good wine, even when they have. I know a lot of creatures of habit (CoHs). Some of them don’t even read the names of the wines; they pick purely based on position. Imagine choosing your food like that. But that’s what they do. ‘Second down? I’ll have that. No, make it third down – the second wine on the list is always the worst value…

Ground Breaking Dinner Plate Cook what you love to eat, lose 1kg a week with the Diet Plate®. Made from fine English earthenware, microwave and dishwasher safe. Meals are automatically calorie counted and nutritionally balanced. Clinically proven, 6 times more likely to lose weight and 3 times more likely to control Type 2 Diabetes. All Diet Plates, Male, Female and Children’s versions cost £19.99 and calorie bowls £14.99 each, plus p&p. Comes with an instruction booklet and further support. 0800 644 0166 thedietplate.com Potter and Mooch Explore our brand new collection of Ear Wings climbing earrings designed for a single piercing. Each pair is handmade in England on either 925 Sterling Silver, 14ct Rose or Yellow Gold-Filled wires with SWAROVSKI Elements. Hypo-allergenic and Nickel free. From £22 per pair. Visit…

This month’s food news, trends, Ping Coombes’ Thai salad, top eats in the Ribble Valley and what’s on the BBC this month Bay leaves are one of the most useful kitchen herbs. With a flavour that’s both slightly sweet as well as mildly spicy, they suit sweet and savoury dishes alike, from custards, tarts and chutneys to the Sicilian sardine dish sarde a beccafico, in which the rolled fillets are baked between leaves. If you have a bay tree, then use them liberally, poked between roasting potatoes, under joints of meat or chicken or added to soups and stews, and this winter we’ve seen this aromatic leaf used in desserts, ice creams and caramels, as well as flavouring cocktail syrups such as the one used at Artisan restaurant in London…

Greensand Ridge London Dry gin Greensand Ridge distillery in Kent uses 100% renewable power, avoids chemicals and plastic and is striving to be zero waste. £35.50, greensanddistillery.com Hedgerow dry cider This dry cider from Bignose & Beardy is made with donated windfalls from gardens of Sussex residents. £15 (six 330ml bottles), bignoseandbeardy.com Mad Goose premium pale ale Waste products from Warwickshire brewery, Purity, are recycled through a wetland system to minimise carbon dioxide emissions. £1.95, bottleshack.uk…

No-cook rainbow pad Thai Unlike a typical pad Thai, this noodle dish doesn’t need to be stir-fried. As a result, the carrot ribbons, beansprouts and shredded cabbage remain crunchy and almost salad-like, while the dressing ensures the dish remains hot in flavour, if not in temperature. SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins NO COOK EASY V 250g wide or medium rice noodles drizzle vegetable oil 1 carrot, shredded 1/4 red cabbage, shredded 100g beansprouts bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped small handful coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve 75g dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped For the dressing 1 garlic clove, grated 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 lime, juiced 1 tbsp vegetarian ‘fish’ sauce (optional) 2 tsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp sriracha ½…

Chetna’s Healthy Indian by Chetna Makan This book is a ray of sunshine inside and out. Packed with fresh, tempting curries, dhals and salads, all the recipes are naturally healthy, and though not entirely vegetarian, there’s plenty of vegetable-led dishes that will help you cut down on meat and acheive your five-a-day, from paneer & cavolo nero saag to sweet potato yogurt curry. £20, Mitchell Beazley Must-try recipe Aubergine coconut curry James Martin’s Great British Adventure James is back with this beautifully shot collection of recipes that make the most of all the fantastic produce he discovers on an ultimate foodie road trip around the UK. Each recipe pays homage to a particular place – there’s double-baked cheese soufflés using milk from Guernsey cows, fish dishes fresh…

Many of us are sitting down to eat dinner as a family less often, so weekend brunches are the perfect opportunity to get everyone around the table and catch up on the week’s events. Make a pot of coffee and enjoy one of these gorgeous new recipes with your loved ones Best ever fluffy American pancakes with berry-cherry syrup For as long as I can remember, we’ve been making pancakes on a Saturday morning in my house – it’s become a calling that the weekend has arrived. Having whisked and flipped a fair few, I can confidently say these are my best-ever, thick, fluffy breakfast pancakes. I alternate the toppings depending on what’s in the fridge or freezer, but blueberries, bacon and maple syrup are firm favourites. MAKES 12 (serves…

Constructed from press aluminium with a copper and ceramic non-stick coating, this wok is perfect for large stir-fry dishes or cooking for the whole family. It’s suitable for use on all hobs, including induction. Available without lid (G2712) for £18.99 or with a glass lid (G2711) for £23.99. Exclusive price – just £18.99 or £23.99 plus £4.95 p&p. To order, call 0844 493 5654 quoting 89664 or visit clifford-james.co.uk/89664 Just £18.99 (usually £19.99) plus £4.95 p&p…

the dilemma I don’t have time to cook hearty, nutritious dinners during the busy working week. the solution Batch cook one versatile dish at the weekend. Pull out a portion or two and serve it in different ways so you don’t get bored. Most of us find the window between arriving home from work and getting dinner on the table a narrow one, so batch cooking one dish at the weekend can be a real time saver. Hopefully, it’ll also put a little bit of joy back into your cooking. In our house, midweek meals rely on quick-cook starches and carbs; pasta, microwaveable rice and grain pouches and tinned beans, and by setting aside an hour or two on my day off, I know I can have something hearty and…

Slow cooker Moroccan lamb stew SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 7-9 hrs EASY * 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 1kg diced lamb shoulder 2 onions, halved and sliced 5 garlic cloves, crushed thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped 1 tbsp each ground cumin and coriander 1 tsp ground cinnamon pinch saffron (or turmeric, to add colour) ½ large or 1 small preserved lemon, skin only, finely chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 600ml hot beef or lamb stock 1 tbsp honey 1 lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of juice 80g pitted Kalamata olives handful chopped mint, coriander or parsley (or a combination) couscous or rice, to serve 1 Set the slow cooker to low. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and brown the lamb in…

February has a bit of a tough break, I think. It’s not quite spring, the festive season is 100% over and all those new year’s plans and resolutions should be in full swing – or not, as the case may be. It seems like one big chilly Tuesday. But look closer and it’s a lot more action-packed than you initially think. There’s Yorkshire Pudding Day (see p62 for a belter of a recipe), Chinese New Year (p96) and, love it or not, Valentine’s Day (turn to p78). This can be the perfect opportunity to impress someone special with your cooking skills and at the same time, avoid the crowded restaurants. On which note, the seasonal recipes I’ve picked this month would work very nicely as a cosy dinner for two…

Classical Spain – Seville, Córdoba & Granada Seven days from only £499pp Selected departures from March-November 2019 Andalucía, in southern Spain, is one of the most beautiful corners of Europe, where the excesses of modern life don’t seem to have taken root and travellers are welcomed as honoured guests. Immortalised in the writings of Ernest Hemingway and beloved by Orson Welles, it is the Spain of Carmen, Figaro and flamenco. Rich with the legacies of the Moors and Romans, its charm and serenity are sure to captivate you. Fully escorted price includes • Visit to medieval Ronda, one of Spain’s most spectacularly situated cities • Visit to the Alhambra in Granada, one of Europe’s most romantic palace fortresses • Guided tour of Seville and an an evening spent sampling delicious…

Japan – Land of the Rising Sun 13 days from only £3,299pp Selected departures from April-November 2019 Japan has an ancient culture of emperors, fierce shoguns, samurais and brutal martial arts; it’s also a place of gentle geishas, colourful kimonos, exquisite garden design and Zen Buddhism. How did a country rooted in such a diverse heritage become one of the most modern, advanced economies on the planet? Pondering such questions is what makes a trip to Japan so rewarding. Having travelled there once, you’ll feel drawn back to this enigmatic land. Fully escorted price includes • Trips to see the famous sights of Tokyo – the Meiji Shrine, Omotesando avenue, fashion-setting Harajuku and the Akihabara electronic district • Views of Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi • Trip to the hot…

This American-style traybake is super-easy to make, can be prepared in advance and cuts into even portions. Decorate it however you like: top with a choice of sweets and nuts, scatter over chocolate shavings and colourful sprinkles, or use chocolate buttons to spell out a name. SERVES 10 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V * un-iced only For the chocolate sponge 185ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin 250g plain flour 80g cocoa powder 21/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 325g light brown soft sugar 250ml buttermilk 125ml strong coffee or espresso, (can be warm, but not hot) 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 large eggs For the icing 150g salted butter, softened 200g icing sugar 4 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp milk sweets, sprinkles,…

Kwoklyn Wan is a professional chef, restaurateur and Kung Fu instructor and has a weekly lunchtime presenting slot on BBC Radio Leicester. Kwoklyn is the brother of TV presenter Gok Wan, and the two brothers grew up working in their family’s Cantonese restaurant. kwoklynwan.com Chicken & cashew nuts When cooking Chinese food, it’s always important to think about the flavours and textures of the ingredients. Juicy chicken combined with succulent baby corn and salty, crunchy cashew nuts come together beautifully in this dish. SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 7 mins EASY 1 tbsp groundnut oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger 2 chicken breast fillets, sliced 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 carrot, finely diced 40g water chestnuts from a can, sliced into bite-sized discs 30g…

1 Crack the eggs into a bowl, add some seasoning and beat until combined. Heat some butter in a medium frying pan until it’s sizzling. 2 Pour in the eggs and swirl around the pan to cover the base. As the eggs cook, drag the set outside of the egg into the middle, letting any uncooked egg run into the gaps. 3 Cook until the omelette is set underneath and the top is just a little wobbly. If you have a filling, scatter it over the top. 4 Lift the pan and tilt on an angle, then curl the omelette over the filling so it rolls into a cigar shape. Tip onto a plate and serve. For our ultimate French omelette recipe, visit bbcgoodfood.com/ultimate-french-omelette…

Star buy Bamboo induction heating ceramic rice cooker £199.99 yumasia.co.uk This premium gadget has six rice cooking functions and a stylish, responsive touchpad. Designed to perfectly cook different types of rice, it also boasts slow cooking, porridge making, steaming and cake baking settings; so it’s much more than just a rice cooker. Although not dishwasher safe, the parts are easy to hand-wash. Family favourite Tefal all-in-one six-litre pressure cooker £69.99 Currys This cooker is perfect for families due to its large yield (up to two cups), and functions for cooking with a delayed start, keeping rice warm and reheating safely. The condensation collector prevents rice from becoming soggy and the options to adjust cooking time and temperature allow you to perfect your rice-cooking technique to suit your…

Jargon buster: pan-frying Rendering To slowly sizzle something high in fat, like bacon or duck breast, until the fat melts away and the meat is golden. Sauté To fry morsels of food over a medium heat, tossing it around until it’s cooked on all sides. Searing To cook over a high heat, which gives lots of colour on the exterior without overcooking the centre. Next level kit: cake lifter If you’re a keen baker, it’s worth buying a cake lifter. It will help ensure your delicate cake or tart remains intact when carrying out the tricky task of moving it from the rack to tin, plate or stand. It also doubles up as a pizza or bread peel. Test Kitchen wisdom We ask a top chef for a simple piece…

Reduce: food waste According to the latest figures from Wrap (wrap.org.uk), by weight, household food waste makes up around 70% of the UK post-farm-gate total. They estimate that by cutting food waste each household could save up to £700 per year as well as making less waste. You’ll find ideas on how to do this in the following pages. Recycle: packaging More than one million tonnes of mixed plastics packaging from households are disposed of in the UK each year (excluding plastic bottles), but moves are being made to remedy this. Ocado have introduced search options for ‘low plastic’ and ‘recyclable’ and, in general, more online retailers are using recyclable packaging. See p115. Reuse: food storage Single use, ‘virgin’ plastic, such as cling film and takeaway containers are a real…

Food blogger Alex Ryder @gingeybites Consider composting. You’ll be surprised how little space you need and your plants will be the envy of the street. One way to reduce the amount of food waste going into landfill is to compost it at home. Two popular options are the bokashi system and worm composting. They sound scary but they’re really not. Both bin systems are easy to set up and use in a small space (we have a flat) and can be bought online. I have both and a combination of shopping little and often, meal planning and composting means that, in my house, we’re now living an almost zero food waste life. Bokashi is an anaerobic composting system, usually the size of two waste paper baskets. It uses a special…

Widely Recycled This is found on packaging that is collected by 75% or more of local authorities across  the UK. Check if the words ‘rinse’ and ‘lid on’ are also present. Check Locally This label is for packaging that is collected by 20-75% of local authorities in the  UK, for example, some types of plastic packaging. Recyclable Aluminium This symbol indicates that the item is made from recyclable aluminium. Plastic Resin Code This identifies the type of plastic resin used to make the item by providing a ‘Resin Identification Code’. It is represented with a ‘chasing arrows’ symbol and a number between 1 and 7. Check which resins your council recycles. Mobius Loop This indicates an item capable of being recycled, not that it will be accepted in all  recycling…

Could independent food enterprises be the saviour of our high streets? This isn’t wishful thinking on my part. I’m excited to see that the tide is turning in favour of small shops and market clusters. It was always a no-brainer that bricks-and-mortar shops on traditional high-street parades would not be able to compete with edge-of-town supermarkets with free parking. And how could they possibly fight back against online companies if they only sold the same sort of food? Consequently, as the number of small shops dwindled, footfall dropped on once busy parades. Then, the former anchors of our high streets – banks, post offices, household-name retailers – pulled out, leaving the retail landscape top-heavy with charity shops, nail bars, phone and coffee shops. But while perceived convenience has its appeal,…

Inspired by mating birds, Chaucer declared it the season of love, the Victorians commercialised it and, in the 20th century, US companies such as Hallmark – aka ‘the General Motors of emotion’ – triggered the avalanche of heart-shaped tat that swamps us every 14 February. This year, I’m giving it a miss. Originally a commemoration of several beheaded third century saints named Valentinus (romantic, huh?), Valentine’s Day has always been an odd one, particularly for food lovers. All that pressure to spend big and eat luxuriously to demonstrate your love, with fine food dangled as the tantalising hors d’oeuvres to hot bedroom action, feels, as Yotam Ottolenghi once put it, ‘A bit claustrophobic.’ There is, undoubtedly, a kernel of truth to the idea that sharing food stimulates passion. Breaking bread…

The choice of hotels in Manila (which will likely be your first stop) is vast – from super-hotels like the exquisite Fairmont Makati from £110 (fairmont.com/makati) to bohemian chic at the Henry Hotel from £64 (manila.thehenryhotel.com). For ease and expertise, independent luxury travel concierge, Papillon Travel organises bespoke tours and even your dinner reservations (papillon-travel.co.uk). Philippines Airlines offers an all-in round-trip economy ticket from £539 – look out for its deals on business class upgrades (all-in round-trip business class from £2,150).…

star letter I got a Christmas present A subscription to Good Food I received a copy in January It sure lifted my mood It was filled with inspiration Recipes and ideas galore My husband will be well impressed When he sees what I’ve got in store New twists on some old classics From soups to kedgeree And as for watching calories Some recipes more healthy One copy of Good Food is down But I’ve still 11 to go And my culinary repertoire It’s sure to improve you know Lesley Webster, Doncaster Lesley – for your excellent poem, you win 12 bottles of Château des Jacques Moulin-à-Vent from Domaine Louis Jadot in Burgundy, France. (£16, Sainsbury’s). The perfect red wine to enjoy with…

Welsh onion cake with caerphilly SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr 5 mins EASY V 200g butter, plus extra for the tin drizzle of oil 3 large onions, thinly sliced 1 leek, sliced 1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or Désirée, peeled and thinly sliced (use a mandoline or the fine slicing blade of a food processor) 150g caerphilly cheese, crumbled (or another sharp, crumbly cheese) 1 In a large pan, heat a knob of the butter with a drizzle of oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the onions, leek and some seasoning and cook for 15 mins until the onions are soft and sticky, stirring occasionally. Butter a 22cm cake tin or baking dish (alternatively, you can assemble the cake in the pan you’re already…

What is it? Kalamansi (also spelled calamansi) is a citrus fruit predominantly grown in the Philippines and used in Filipino cooking, but it’s also popular in other Southeast Asian cuisines, including Malaysian and Singaporean. Kalamansis are small and round, and although they ripen to an orange hue, they are usually used when the rind is green, with an appearance similar to that of a lime. So, what does it taste like? Like a cross between an orange and a lime, it’s sour and zingy and with a subtle sweetness too. How do I use it? Kalamansi juice is used extensively in Filipino cuisine (turn to page 131 for more info) including to flavour meat marinades, add zing to noodle dishes, or mixed with sugar syrup and served over ice in…

Norway might not be the first country you think of when it comes to excellence in cheese-making, but a cheese produced by a farmer with just 12 cows has been named the greatest in the world. Fanaost, made by Norwegian Jørn Hafslund, is an aged gouda, reminiscent of Old Amsterdam. The texture is hard and brittle, with a sweet, almost caramel flavour. Matured for 14 months, its name comes from ‘fan’, the area 20km from Bergen where the farm is, and ‘ost’, meaning cheese. The artisan cheese beat a record-breaking 3,472 entries at the World Cheese Awards in Bergen. Judge Jason Hinds from Neal’s Yard Dairy in the UK, said: ‘This cheese really delivers a sense of place with a great texture and wonderful marriage of sweet and savoury notes.’…

MASTERCHEF Seven weeks, 56 amateur cooks looking for a life-changing opportunity. The lucky few who make it through the initial invention test face tricky culinary tasks, professional kitchen traumas and caustic restaurant critics. John Torode and Gregg Wallace return with their 15th series, this month on BBC One. SATURDAY KITCHEN LIVE Chinese New Year wouldn’t be the same in the Saturday Kitchen studio without Ken Hom and Ching-He Huang. This year they celebrate The Year of The Pig with Matt Tebbutt on 2 Feb. Also, don’t miss Dan Doherty with Matt and chocolatier Paul A Young on 9 February. Starts 10am on BBC One.…

Set of three organic bamboo kitchen utensils Not only is bamboo one of the most sustainable materials for kitchenware, it is also natural stain-resistant and anti-microbial, plus it won’t scratch your pans. £13, andkeep.co.uk Set of six coloured recycled drinking glasses We love these pretty coloured tumblers made from recycled glass. £36, trouva.com Glass food container Shun plastic Tupperware in favour of glass – not only are these containers sturdier, you can cook, store and transport food in them thanks to snap-and-lock-lids. £3, IKEA Recycled glass square storage jar (500ml) These tick a lot of boxes: they keep food fresh, look great on the shelf and are dishwasher safe. £4, therecycled glasswarecompany.co.uk Organic cotton None sponges (set of 2) These cotton and bamboo sponges can be washed and re-used time…

Coconut yogurt is a dairy-free yogurt alternative made from coconut milk or cream with added live cultures. It often has added calcium and other nutrients added to it, too, making it a good addition to a vegan diet. It can vary in quality (just like cow’s milk yogurt); we like The Coconut Collaborative and Koko brands. Aleppo pepper is a sweet, mild variety of chilli pepper, grown and commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s sold in flakes, and is also known as pul biber. At it’s best, it’s a little oily and a deep crimson red colour, with a fruity flavour and a mild kick of heat. Find it online or in Middle Eastern shops, or substitute some paprika mixed with a pinch of chilli powder. We like…

Mocha madeleines MAKES 12 (or 24 mini madeleines) PREP 20 mins plus cooling and 1 hr chilling COOK 10 mins EASY V 100g butter, plus extra for the tin 85g plain flour 15g cocoa powder 2 eggs, separated 2 tsp honey 11/2 tbsp coffee granules 80g caster sugar 15g demerara sugar 25g white chocolate 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and butter a 12-hole madeleine tin or a 24-hole mini madeleine tin. In a small pan, heat the butter over a medium heat until frothy and golden with a nutty aroma. Leave to cool. 2 Sieve the flour and cocoa into a large bowl, then stir in the egg yolks, honey, coffee, melted butter and both sugars. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the…

“This is one of my favourites – it’s a versatile dish that I can turn into a quick pie or serve with rice” Creamy curried chicken pie Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Transfer the creamy curried chicken to a pie dish, about 25 x 5cm. Brush 6 sheets filo pastry with a little melted butter or oil and scrunch the sheets on top of the pie, covering the filling. Bake the pie for about 45-50 mins, until the top is crisp and the curried chicken is bubbling and hot. Serve with Tenderstem broccoli, if you like. Cheesy curried chicken jackets Reheat the curried chicken. Pile it into hot jacket potatoes and top with grated cheddar. Grill until the cheese has melted and serve with some chilli sauce for…

Leeks are nonsensically underrated, in my opinion. Their pale, tightly coiled trunks reveal layers of sweet allium, while their green tops bring a zip of freshness and the vaguest promise of spring. They are the perfect pick-me-up for the bubbling stockpot. I cook them all through the winter, while they’re fresh and cheap, and always feel a surge of joy when they show up in my veg box. This year’s mission is to grow them on the allotment, because I can only imagine how much better they will taste pulled fresh from the ground. A bit of a pain to clean, though. You’ve got to do a thorough job, or you’ll only sabotage your enjoyment of this gloriously versatile ingredient (unless you like eating soil). I scrub any mud from…

British Yorkshire Pudding Day 3 February Chinese New Year 5 February British Dal Festival 10-17 February. A nationwide celebration of all things dal (or dhal) rooted in Bristol, with over 20 businesses forming a Dal Trail across the country. Paintworks on Bath Road will host the event finale on Saturday 16 February with street food, demos and all sorts of pulse-based activities for the family. britishdalfestival.com Valentine’s Day 14 February Real Bread Week 23 February-3 March Fairtrade Fortnight 25 February-10 March…

TREND RECIPE Apple crumble energy balls MAKES 10 PREP 10 mins plus chilling NO COOK EASY 50g oats 50g pitted dates (about 3) 50g ground almonds 2 tbsp almond butter 1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus extra for dusting 30g dried apple slices 1/2 apple 1 Blitz 30g of the oats with the dates, ground almonds, almond butter, cinnamon, dried apple slices and a pinch of salt until roughly chopped and beginning to clump together. Grate in the apple, skin and all, then add the remaining oats and pulse until combined. 2 Roll into 10 balls and dust with a little more cinnamon. Put in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. GOOD TO KNOW vegan PER…

Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, along with the BBC Good Food team, selects all of the wines on offer to BBC Good Food readers. 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 book, The Home Bar (£25, Jacqui Small), is out now. Henry’s tasting notes and recipe pairings for other wines can be found at bbcgoodfood.com/wine-club . Tarvisium A gold-medal-winning Prosecco with citrus freshness Characteristics A light gold, fuller fizz with a creamy mousse finish Goes well with Spicy, earthy flavours Try it with Turkish eggs with red & green butter, p32 Il Cavallino A smooth Prosecco with clean, crisp flavours…

Single purpose or multi-cooker? Many cookers have slow cooking, steaming or pressure cooking functions. Multi-functional machines can be space-saving but are sometimes more complex to operate. Functions such as deep-frying can damage the non-stick bowls and the taste and texture of the rice. Rice purists are better sticking with a single-purpose cooker. WHAT WE LOOKED FOR Quality of cooked rice Each cooker was tested with white, brown and short grain rice. We looked for fluffy mounds of white, al dente but well-cooked brown, and slightly sticky but mush-free short grain rice. Safety There will always be steam and some hot water released from rice cookers but excessive splutterers were rejected. Multi-cookers Multi-cookers had to be logical and easy to operate. Their performance as rice cookers was priority. Extras We looked…

The varieties Brown onion Also known as a Spanish onion, this variety has a very strong flavour when raw that mellows and softens when cooked. White onion Sweeter and milder than brown onions, but white onions still have a pungent ‘bite’ when eaten raw. This is the best variety for onion rings. Red onion Thanks to their softer flavour, these can be eaten raw in salads, salsas or dressings, and become sweeter when slow roasted. Be aware their purple colour will show in paler dishes. Pickling onion This miniature variety is halfway between an onion and a shallot, and is usually used whole and pickled or braised in stews. For easy peeling, soak in hot water. Spring onion Can be griddled whole until charred or used in salads and stir-fries.…

The Good Food test kitchen is where we create, develop and test the 70-plus recipes per month that appear in your magazine and on our website, bbcgoodfood.com. But we hadn’t realised how much our kitchen had become a ‘throwaway’ environment until we looked into it. After overhauling standard practice, we asked Lakeland.co.uk to recommend some products. (Other brands are available) KITCHEN SWAPS WHERE FOOD IS WASTED 1 discoloured Misshapen, marked or wrongly , sized fruit and veg that doesn’t meet the standards of the marketplace (up to 20-40%) are thrown away before even leaving the farm. 2 Food goes off when transported. 3 Offcuts and foods past their use-by dates are binned by both retailers and us at home. (In developed countries, this kind of waste is the greatest proportion…

1.75 billion plastic bags were given out in England in 2017-18, a drop of 370 million compared to 2016-17 (Defra) No one really knows how long it takes a plastic bag to decompose completely – each one ever used is likely to exist today in some form or another. The introduction of the 5p charge in 2015 (proposed to increase to 10p) cut usage by 83% (or 9 billion bags) and the collection of single-use plastic bags by supermarkets such as Ocado ensures they’re made into new ones. However, research in 2018 shows that bags-for-life are not always used as often as they could be and we still use millions of plastic bags for putting our loose fruit and veg in. With that in mind, consider taking washable bags to…

• Mainstreet Trading in the sleepy Scottish village of St Boswells won the title of Britain’s Best Small Shop 2018 at the Independent Retailers Confederation Awards. It’s a food and kitchen shop, café and bookshop combined. • 50 indie businesses in Ashburton, Devon are drawing attention to the need for more community spirit by baring all in a nude charity calendar, upping the town’s already impressive shopping profile. • Markets made up of stalls and food trucks are springing up around busy mainline stations, such as London’s King’s Cross. Welcome trade for small businesses and handy food for commuters.…

Explore the culinary treasures of the Philippine archipelago, or stay closer to home with one of our three top city breaks for families Surrounded by the tropical Pacific, the Philippine islands form part of the Malay archipelago stepping stones from Southeast Asia to Australia. The bulk of residents – around 104 million people – inhabit just 11 out of 7,000-plus islands. Increasingly, its buzzing urban areas are attracting gastronomic pilgrimage, and the varied eating places in Manila celebrate the 19 regions you’d be hard-pressed to taste in just one trip. Often referred to as the original fusion cuisine, Filipino food and drink embraces its cultural heritage as warmly as Filipinos welcome new friends. The vestiges of the Spanish Empire (including Mexico and Portugal) exhibit strong influence on native Austronesian dishes,…

Visit bbcgoodfood.com/activities-kids for all our crafty projects, including how to make salt dough and papier mâché, complete with handy videos and tips. Here’s our method for making playdough which is quick and easy enough to hold a young child’s attention – and you only need a few storecupboard ingredients. Playdough Remember, this is not for consumption but play only! MAKES 1 coloured ball PREP 10 mins EASY 8 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 2 tbsp salt 60ml warm water a few drops food colouring 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, a few drops of food colouring and the oil. 2 Stir the coloured water into the flour mix using a spoon. 3…

Guascas is a herb used in ajiaco soup and leafy salads. It was brought to Kew Gardens in 1796 from Peru and thrives in the British countryside where it is known as ‘gallant soldiers’ or ‘soldiers of the Queen’. You can buy it dried. Corn (maize) is a staple of the Andes and is either white, yellow or purple. White corn has various uses in desserts and soups. Ground corn flour is used to make arepas (unleavened cornbread) as well as many other dishes. Panela are blocks of unrefined raw cane sugar made by boiling down sugar cane juice. Colombia is the number one producer and consumer of it. Dissolved in water, it makes the (hot or cold) drink aguapanela. Borlotti beans are associated with Italy but are native to…

Big Drop Brewing Co, Maidenhead On taking a break from booze, Rob Fink was disappointed by the lack of low- and no-alcohol drinks on offer in pubs. He joined forces with designer James Kindred and brewer Jimmy Clayton to launch the Big Drop Brewing Co in 2016, with an aim of producing great-quality, full-flavoured 0.5% ABV craft beer. In just two years, the team have picked up an array of awards, had their beer stocked in supermarkets across the UK and widened their output to include low-alcohol stout, lager, spiced ale and pale ale. Key to their success, says James, is the production: ‘We don’t remove the alcohol or halt fermentation like other low-alcohol beers. Our beer goes through the full brewing process to produce full-flavoured beers that stand up…