Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2019 i Good Food

Frozen shallots, chopped dill and petit pois are always in my shopping basket, three freezer favourites that all taste as good as their fresh alternatives and which eliminate the risk of rogue herbs and veg sadly rotting in the salad drawer. (How does anyone ever use up a whole bunch of dill?) Freezer food is cool again, says food writer Sue Quinn, adding that, it’s ‘now the fastest growing food and drink category in the UK’. See her tips for what to buy and how to store it on page 132. It’s essential reading if you’re stocking up in advance of friends and family visiting for Easter. You can also freeze our cover star cake up to step two, making it easy to create a showstopping centrepiece (see p30). Wishing…

• How it’s made Orange wine is made from white grapes but the skins are left on the grapes during fermentation to add extra colour and flavour. • How it tastes Orange wine will confuse and amaze your tastebuds. It often has the texture of red wine – drying tannins and a vibrant richness – but is cold and refreshing. • What to try My perfect gateway orange wine is Sketta from Cantina Marilina. It’s silky smooth with bags of flavour, and is available at our Wine Store, Salon and Levan.…

Very berry blueberry muffins These are soft, fluffy muffins with a sparkling sugar crust. I love how quick and simple these are, and you only need one bowl, so there’s hardly any washing-up to do after. MAKES 9 PREP 25 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V 70g unsalted butter, melted 100g granulated sugar 175g soured cream 1 large egg ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 lemon, zested 1½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g blueberries, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost) 195g plain flour, plus an extra tbsp for the blueberries 9 tsp sparkling sugar (use granulated or demerara if you don’t have any sparkling) 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Put nine paper muffin cases in a nine-hole muffin tin. 2 Put the melted…

GIN One sage & apple gin This aromatic spirit makes a refreshing G&T and proceeds from every bottle support The One Foundation’s mission to create universal access to clean, safe water. Originally made exclusively for Craft Gin Club members, this special edition is available online from April (£42, thespiritofone.com). Join the Craft Gin Club today (see p20) and get a free extra bottle of craft gin, visit craftginclub.co.uk/goodfood. WHISKY Speyburn 18 Years Old Looking for a blow-the-budget drink to celebrate a special occasion? Crammed with caramelised fruit and full-bodied chocolatey flavours, this rich dram from Speyburn is perfect for Easter. Released in December, this new expression is a real labour of love from the region of Speyside. Matured in American oak and Spanish oak casks for 18 years, it packs…

Ceramic bunny salt & pepper set Add a touch of Easter fun to the table with these cute bunny-shaped salt & pepper shakers. £9, tch.net Carving set A good-sized, sharp blade and comfortable handles make this set perfect for slicing your Easter joint of meat. £92, robertwelch.com Lush Designs vegetable apron £21, lushlampshades.co.uk Ash carving board (40cm) This beautiful board is hard- wearing and the perfect size. £33, souschef.co.uk Six-hole deep Yorkshire pudding tray Perfect fat, fluffy yorkies with this specially designed oven tray. £11.99, Lakeland Gold serving spoon Serve your sides in style with this elegant golden spoon. £17.95, audenza.com Heston Blumenthal Precision Kitchen BBQ meat thermometer by Salter Ensure your meat is cooked to perfection with this precise thermometer. £24.99, salterhousewares.co.uk Eres platter Spring veg will look great…

The Cinnamon Club first opened in 2001 in London’s historic grade II-listed Old Westminster Library and is now a benchmark for fine dining Indian restaurants around the world. Chef Vivek Singh’s signature style marries modern Indian flavours with Western techniques. Encompassing the flavours and ingredients of different regions, dishes are immaculately presented and designed to reflect the culinary traditions of Indian cooking. On the evening, you’ll meet Vivek Singh, and sommelier Laurent Chaniac will explain more about wine pairing. You’ll then be seated around communal tables for a five-course dinner with paired wines (see sample menu, right). Vivek’s book, Indian Festival Feasts will also be available to buy at the event for just £15 (usual price £25), and Vivek will be on hand to sign copies. At the end of…

We’re so used to bulk cooking, that sometimes we forget how to cook a single serving. I often find cooking for myself an afterthought – I open the fridge and jumble a few leftovers together with less care than if I’m cooking for someone else. But there’s something very special about taking the time to cook a delicious meal for yourself, rather than grazing on leftovers or slap-dash sandwiches. Meals for one can also fall into ‘snack’ territory – things on toast, a jacket potato, a wrap. They just don’t hold the same joy to eat as a cared-for bowl of something delicious that you’ve enjoyed making. A lot of people steer clear of potatoes, rice or grains as they think they’re too hard to cook for one. But there’s…

PSB & cheese frittata SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V Heat grill to high. Steam or boil 300g trimmed PSB until tender, then roughly chop. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 sliced red onion and a pinch of dried red chilli flakes. Cook for about 8 mins until softened. Crack 6 eggs into a bowl or jug, mix with 1 tbsp water and season, then crumble in 100g goat’s cheese. Pour into the pan with the onion, then scatter over the broccoli. Top with some grated cheddar and grill for 5 mins or until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges and serve from the pan with salad, if you like. GOOD…

Chicken & veg bowl SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY 250g brown basmati rice 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 chicken breasts, sliced 2 tbsp hoisin sauce 100g frozen edamame beans or peas, defrosted 100g frozen sweetcorn 100g grated carrots 100g red peppers, cut into small cubes 1 avocado, stoned and sliced 1 lemon, cut into quarters, to serve (optional) 1 Cook the rice following pack instructions, then drain and return to the pan to keep warm. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok, add the garlic and fry for 2 mins or until golden. Tip in the chicken and fry until the pieces are cooked through, then stir in the hoisin sauce, season and continue cooking for a further 2 mins.…

Shakshuka SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V 1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges 1 red pepper, finely sliced 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced 3 large garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed 1 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika 400g can cherry tomatoes 115g baby spinach 4 medium eggs ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped ½ small bunch dill, roughly chopped 1 Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and peppers and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the veg is beginning to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika and fry for 1 min more. Tip in the tomatoes, spinach and 100ml water and bubble…

While it’s always satisfying to open the oven door to the perfect batch of cookies, or to sink your teeth into a wonderfully gooey chocolate cake, there’s no denying that one of the best parts of baking is the fun of creating it yourself. It’s the hands-on, messy mixing, whisking and folding that far outweighs the final ‘ta-dah’ moment. That’s why baking is such a great thing to do with your children. It’s a lovely way to spend time together, and it can be a real bonding experience that encourages your little ones to take an interest in food. It also gives them the chance to be creative, express themselves and experiment – especially when it comes to decorating their baked goodies. As with many generations before, Tate & Lyle…

Simnel cake sour SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins EASY 50g golden marzipan 25ml kirsch or brandy 100ml amaretto 1 lemon, juiced 1 orange, juiced 100ml madeira ice For the spiced syrup 100g golden caster sugar thick strip orange zest 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice pinch dried ginger 4 cocktail sticks 1 Start by making the spiced syrup. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan with 100ml water. Gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat off and allow to cool completely. Once cold, pour the mixture through a sieve into a jug and chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for up to a week. 2 Heat grill to high. Roll the marzipan into four balls, put on a baking sheet and…

WHAT MAKES A TOASTIE? We’re not talking cheese on toast, rarebit or a panini here. Also known as a grilled cheese in the US, a toastie should simply be cheese sandwiched between two pieces of sliced bread, which is then fried until golden or charred on the outside and melting in the middle. THE BASICS There are lots of variations, but this is the base recipe: spread two slices of bread with butter, mayo or oil on both sides. Put a melting cheese on top, season, then top with the second slice of bread. Press down with a spatula, then cook in a hot pan on a low heat for 4-5 mins each side. The game changer We’ve experimented with many different toasties here at BBC Good Food, and we’re…

Blue cheese The distinctive blue veins are created by injecting penicillium roqueforti to preserve flavour. It’s a process that dates back to 1411, when Charles VI of France declared Roquefort protected ground for its cheese. Roquefort A soft cheese with even-sized mould holes. It should taste spicy, sweet, salty and savoury. The salt should not overcrowd the other flavours. Widely available. Stilton Look for a spider’s web of blue-green mould. Ripeness is essential: too young/ white or too old/ yellow deprives you of the essential creamy-butteriness. stiltoncheese.co.uk Gorgonzola The youngest of the gorgonzolas has vertical blue veins and is sweet, rich and creamy. Pure dairy perfection for any palate. paxtonand whitefield.co.uk For more information, visit academyofcheese.org. Cheese was provided by Paxton & Whitfield (paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk).…

You can cater for both fish lovers and 1 vegetarians – and for people, like me, who are allergic to fish. 2 The importance of buying fish and shellfish from sustainable sources. Jo says, ‘Sadly, stocks of certain popular fish have been severely depleted by overfishing. So please do either ask the fishmonger or look for logos guaranteeing that the fish is from a sustainable source. There will always be alternatives or substitutions – and, if your first choice of fish isn’t sustainable, it’s a great opportunity to try something you may not have considered before.’ 3 Seafood is health food. Jo explains, ‘Everyone’s reason for following a pescatarian diet will vary, but the health benefits of fish and shellfish are certainly up there. A pescatarian diet is widely accepted…

Circa 200AD, the Chinese medical pioneer Hua Tuo declared: ‘To drink bitter tea constantly makes one think better.’ Sadly, in 2019, our appreciation of tea has lost that clarity. The 21st century brew is regularly abused in ways that make my blood boil like a faulty electric kettle. This month, as National Tea Day approaches (21 April), let us explore the 10 Worst Things That Can Happen To A Cuppa. 1. UHT milk The cursed staple of every hotel bedroom, ultra high temperature-treated milk casts a dark shadow over even the brightest teas. It cloaks your cuppa in flavour notes of plastic, stale cream and wet cardboard. 2. Tired water Tea needs oxygen and nitrogen to breathe. Reboiling the same H2O will lead to it losing its O and a…

A friend in one of my many WhatsApp groups mentioned recently that she had just done her supermarket shop online for the very first time. Cue a Mexican wave of, ‘Seriously?!!’ I doubt the response would have been so surprised if we’d been talking about doing an online wine shop. And that’s a shame because there are many advantages to buying wine on the web, not least that doing so gives you access to a wider choice of bottles and specialist retailers. I know three of the biggest obstacles to ordering a whole box at once are: a) risk; b) the work involved making the choices; c) the outlay. To that I say: a) mix a case and there’s no more risk than when you pick random bottles from a…

Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau Here, traditional codfish cakes are stuffed with Serra da Estrela cheese by the queens of quenelling who work in full view of the diners under the soft light of chandeliers. One enormous codfish cake and a glass of dry white port costs £8. en.pasteisdebacalhau.com Tappas Caffé The iconic sandwich of Porto, the francesinha (see right), is the specialty here. After dinner, cinnamon grappa is served as a digestif and kids get a carafe of juice. It’s part of a small chain but the Candal branch felt very un-touristy. Sandwiches start at £6.50. tappascaffe.pt Vogue Café Modern European cuisine here is as chic as the vintage cover shots on the walls. The poke was good but the pork loin with morels and truffles in port…

This month’s food news, trends, our best buys for Easter, Angellica Bell’s berry muffins and what’s on the BBC this month Japanese and Italian cuisine may not seem like obvious bedfellows, but the ingredients from both cuisines have a natural affinity with each other, especially around key umami flavours, simplicity of serving style and a love of seasonality. Stefano and Naoko Vallebona source both artisan Italian and Japanese ingredients that complement each other for their eponymous shop in Wimbledon (vallebona.co.uk), Sumosan Twiga in Knightsbridge serves Japanese and Italian dishes alongside each other (sumosantwigalondon.com) and new kid on the block Angelina in Dalston (angelina.london) has married the two cuisines in a series of small plates. Chefs Joshua Owens-Baigler (also the owner) and Daniele Ceforo create recipes such as unagi risotto with…

Flavoured hot cross buns Every Easter the range of non-traditional hot cross buns in supermarkets gets bigger and better. Great news for dried fruit haters, you can now find buns in flavours like rhubarb & custard and chocolate & ginger. See page 14 for our favourite this year. Stout After years of falling sales, Tesco recently announced that the demand for stout has increased by 13% in the past year (almost twice the growth of lager). And it’s not just Guinness – the craft beer market has led to a range of new stouts on the market. Ruby chocolate Easter eggs One of last year’s top trends, ruby chocolate is a naturally pink chocolate made using ruby beans, which tastes a bit like white chocolate with berry notes. This year,…

THE FOOD PROGRAMME This month, Sheila Dillon looks at pies that changed people’s lives, including the tale of Ella Risbridger whose baking helped her recover from depression; Dan Saladino reports on the growing trend for personalised nutrition and Diana Henry examines the British passion for toast. 12.30pm Sundays on BBC Radio 4. SATURDAY KITCHEN LIVE Great British Menu judge Paul Ainsworth and Frances Atkens, one of the UK’s few female Michelin-starred chefs, join Matt Tebbutt on 6 April; with Irish cook Donal Skehan returning to host the show on 20 April, cooking with former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson. 10am Saturdays on BBC One.…

The Curry Guy Veggie by Dan Toombs Food writer Dan is an expert on Indian cooking, with a blog dedicated to curries and two books under his belt. His third book is dedicated to meat-free Indian dishes, and it’s packed with recipes that show how creative Indian veggie food can be, from potato, spinach & paneer burgers to black-eyed bean curry. All the recipes include instructions on how to make them vegan too. £15, Quadrille Must-try recipe Mixed vegetable & paneer sabzi Taverna by Georgina Hayden Georgina was born above her grandparents Greek Cypriot taverna in north London and was immersed in the food of her heritage growing up. In this book, she modernises traditional Cypriot recipes that beautifully meld Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours with…

Gimlet A classic combination of gin and lime, stirred down to the perfect dilution with lots of ice. Try with your favourite gin, but any London dry gin that boasts black pepper in its flavour profile would work best. SERVES 1 (easily doubled) PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V 50ml homemade lime syrup or lime cordial (see recipe, right) ice 50ml London dry gin slice of lime and an edible flower, to garnish (optional) 1 Put a martini or coupe glass in the fridge to chill. 2 Pour 50ml of the lime syrup or cordial into a jug or tall glass and add a few ice cubes and the gin. Stir until the outside of the container feels very cold. 3 Strain the mixture into your chilled glass and…

Carrot soup with chilli coriander pesto SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins V * soup only 5 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 3 large garlic cloves, crushed thumb-sized piece ginger, grated 4 tbsp mild curry powder 900g carrots, sliced 1.7 litres hot vegetable stock large bunch coriander, chopped 30g pine nuts, toasted 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 40g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated 1 lemon, zested crème fraîche and crusty bread, to serve (optional) ■ Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 7 mins. Add 2 of the garlic cloves, the ginger and curry powder and cook for 1 min more. Stir through the carrots and stock and cook, covered, for 15-20 mins or until the…

Pistachio, rose & white chocolate blondies All rosewaters differ in strength. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand or flavour, start by adding1/2 tbsp. MAKES 16 PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V * 60g pistachios 150g white chocolate, chopped 100g unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for the tin 200g light brown soft sugar 2 large eggs ½-1 tbsp rosewater 85g plain flour 100g white chocolate chips dried rose petals, to decorate (optional) 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and butter and line a 20 x 20cm baking tin. Tip the pistachios into a pan and toast over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until aromatic, tossing occasionally so they don’t burn. Set aside. 2 Melt the chopped white chocolate and butter together, either in a bowl set over…

April is a month of surprises; you can be fooled on day one, caught out by an unexpected downpour or two, happen upon a blanket of bluebells or crack open an Easter egg to discover yet more eggs inside. That last revelation never gets old! To continue the theme, the seasonal favourites I’ve picked this month are all a little bit surprising in one way or another. Among them are vibrant flowers you can eat and salad vegetables that you’ll be delighted to find also taste great when cooked. All with flavours bigger than their size, these April picks will add some balancing freshness to the table next to other seasonal stars like roast lamb, dried fruits, marzipan and, of course, lots and lots of chocolate eggs. edible flowers If…

TREND RECIPE Tofu scramble SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil 1 small onion, finely sliced 1 large garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika 280g extra firm tofu 100g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ small bunch parsley, chopped rye bread, to serve, (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion for 8-10 mins or until golden brown and sticky. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin and paprika and cook for 1 min. 2 Roughly mash the tofu in a bowl using a fork, keeping some pieces chunky. Add to the pan and fry for 3 mins. Raise the heat, then tip in the…

Smoky pork & pepper paella SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 45 mins EASY 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 200g lean pork tenderloin fillet, diced into cubes roughly 1.5cm 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 100g brown basmati rice ½ -1 tsp smoked paprika (depending on how much heat you want) generous pinch saffron 500ml hot vegetable bouillon 1 large red pepper, deseeded, quartered and sliced 160g fine green beans, trimmed and halved 60g large prawns large handful parsley, chopped 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5 mins until soft. Add the pork and fry a few mins to brown it a little. 2 Tip in the garlic, rice and paprika, stirring briefly. Stir the…

Luxury hummus Use good-quality chickpeas to give this vegan hummus a really silky feel. Dips make perfect, easy party food to serve with crudités and warm pittas. SERVES 8 PREP 20 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V 700g chickpeas, drained 135ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 tbsp tahini 1 ½ lemons, juiced For the toppings ½ tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp sumac ½ small pack parsley, roughly chopped 40g pomegranate seeds crudités or warm pittas, to serve 1 Blitz3/4 of the chickpeas and 120ml of the oil with the rest of the hummus ingredients and a good amount of seasoning using a food processor. Add a little water if it is too thick. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl or…

1 Divide sausagemeat into tangerine-sized balls. Put one ball on a large sheet of cling film or baking parchment, then loosely fold the sheet over to cover the ball. 2 Use your hands or a rolling pin to squash the sausagemeat as flat as possible. Try to keep the meat in a neat oval shape. Dust the boiled eggs in flour. 3 Unfold the meat and put a floured egg in the centre, then fold the meat around the egg to encase it. Repeat with the remaining eggs and meat. 4 Roll the encased eggs in flour, then in beaten egg and finally in breadcrumbs. Heat 5cm oil in a pan until a piece of bread turns golden within 20 seconds of being dropped in. 5 Using a frying basket…

Star buy Lakeland 3.5-litre slow cooker £29.99 lakeland.co.uk This easy-to-use slow cooker has high, low and auto settings – which doubles as a keep warm setting. This 3.5-litre model is ideal for three to four people and it is large enough to fit a medium chicken. This cooker is also available in 1.5 and 6-litre models. Best digital Morphy Richards 3.5-litre Sear and Stew digital slow cooker £49.99 Argos The main pro of the Sear and Stew is that the inner bowl is hob safe on gas and electric (it doesn’t work on induction). This means that the meat can be seared, vegetables softened and sauce reduced all in the same pot. The digital controls let you set the time in 30-minute intervals, up to a maximum of 10 hours.…

Jargon buster: cooking in liquids Steep To pour hot liquid over something and leave it to gently cook, rehydrate or soak in the residual heat. Poach To completely submerge in hot liquid on a very low heat (between 70-80C) – it should shimmer with a few bubbles. Simmer Sometimes called a gentle boil, to simmer is to cook in liquid that’s between 85-95C with lots of little bubbles rising to the surface. Bring to the boil When something is placed in cold liquid, then put on a high heat to the boil. The most common way of cooking potatoes and root vegetables. Boil Liquid boils at 100C and will produce lots of large bubbles. It’s generally a quick cooking process where things are submerged, then drained. Next level kit: mandoline…

One-pot jambalaya Shred leftover spiced chicken thighs from p84 into any of the remaining sauce, then tip into a shallow saucepan or casserole dish, cover and gently heat. Stir through some long-grain rice and pour in chicken stock until there’s about 3cm of liquid above the rice. Stir well and bring to simmering point, then cover and cook over a very low heat for 20 mins, or until the rice is tender. Leave to stand for 10 mins, then fluff up and serve. Greek meatball wrap Cook some oven chips following pack instructions and reheat any Greek meatballs from p37. Spread a warmed wrap or pitta bread with tzatziki or hummus and lay some chips on top, then the meatballs and some finely sliced red onion to finish. If using…

Paul A Young is a groundbreaking alchemist. He’s the man who helped to make sea salt caramel one of the biggest (and lasting) food trends, and is ranked amongst the world’s greatest chocolatiers. His produce is daring and experimental, natural and handmade, yet he never trained, and is exceptionally fond of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. I braved his recipe for a sensational chocolate tart and he came to my house to eat it – but first, we had a bit of a gossip. Emma I’ve never liked posh chocolate shops – everything about them feels like it’s saying, ‘This isn’t really for you, you’re not refined enough to eat this.’ Especially the French shops – I feel like a muggle in them. Paul I’m so glad you said that. I used…

I’m a massive fan of true artisan food, handmade with craft and skill on a small scale. In a world where an apparent cornucopia of food choices boils down to multiple variations on the same mass-produced thing, it’s stimulating to visit small shops or food markets that offer something different. Unfortunately, the word ‘artisan’ is prone to misrepresentation and abuse. Here’s a case in point. Recently, I visited an upmarket village shop that made great play of its association with food producers in the vicinity. A local company was handing out free samples of its pies. Two salesmen stood behind the tasting table with a sign that read ‘100% natural’ and ‘locally made’. I always check the ingredients label on every packaged product before I eat it, irrespective of how…

“The dishes combine Filipino ingredients and flavours with British produce” Since launching BBQ Dreamz in 2014, Lee Johnson and Sinead Campbell have been a firm favourite at street-food venues and music festivals across the country. More recently, the duo – who won £350,000 investment from Draft House founder Charlie McVeigh, after appearing on BBC Two’s My Million Pound Menu earlier this year – cooked up a storm as part of their six-week, Sunday-only residency at MEATLiquor in King’s Cross. Their dishes combine the ingredients, flavours and vibrancy of Lee’s Filipino heritage with local British produce of good provenance. Filipino cuisine is based on a complex history, drawing on influences from India, China, Spain and America. You’ll find the atchara noodle salad featured on this sharing menu for sale from the…

The Spirit of Exmoor Launched in autumn 2015, Wicked Wolf® Exmoor Gin™ is a premium craft gin made from 11 botanicals, distilled and blended in small batches on Exmoor. Our goal has always been to remain artisan and produce a gin that is different. We do this with a fun and striking brand and a flavoursome gin, including the more unusual botanicals of cardamom, lemongrass, kaffir lime and hibiscus. 01598 741357 wickedwolfgin.com Make Easter Time for Toffee Delicious creamy toffee, made by family company, Walker’s Nonsuch is a perfect alternative to chocolate at Easter time. Made with just good ingredients, like whole milk and butter, toffee doesn’t get better than this. Proud to be celebrating 125 years of toffee making, the varieties include endless choices for everyone. Favourites include Liquorice,…

star letter I would like to shout my praise for Joanna Blythman’s article ‘Are we now too busy to chew?’ (March). I’m currently on a six-week diet of meal replacement shakes as preparation for surgery and I just cannot understand why people would voluntarily choose to drink artificially flavoured, overly sweetened, synthetic shakes as a substitute for freshly prepared meals. While these shakes theoretically contain all of the required nutrients we need, I can assure you there is no substitute for the goodness provided by fresh fruit and veg, or the pleasure of tasting them. As for the excuse of being time-poor, stop taking selfies and pick up a wooden spoon! Rebecca Dent, London HOT TOPIC COOKING FOR DOGS Our article about cooking for dogs (March) divided opinion. Would you…

What is it? Zhoug, also spelled zhug, is a vibrant, herby spice paste from Yemen, made with plenty of coriander, parsley, garlic, green chilli and spices, predominantly cumin and often cloves. It’s hugely popular in Israel, where it’s one of the most popular condiments used in street food. What does it taste like? Think of it a little like a zingy, spicy Middle Eastern pesto. It has the same consistency of harissa paste or pesto, but with fresh herby flavours and a chilli kick. How can I use it? It’s amazingly versatile. Spread it in a sandwich, burger or kebab; swirl through yogurt to make a sauce for drizzling over falafel; mix with olive oil and wine vinegar to create a punchy salad dressing, or dot over shakshuka. Where can…

Best milk chocolate egg Handmade fruit and nut milk chocolate lattice egg, £12, M&S This elegant egg has an intricate design and classic flavours. The nuts add a welcome savoury hit. Best dairy-free chocolate egg Free-from Belgian dark chocolate egg with vanilla-flavoured truffles, £5, Asda We’re often impressed by Asda’s free-from range, and this egg is no exception. Best hot cross buns Luxury hot cross buns, £1.50, M&S The clear winner of this round, these buns are sticky, light, perfectly spiced and packed with juicy fruit. Best dark chocolate egg Duchy Organic dark chocolate cocoa pod, £10, Waitrose The unique shape, glossy finish and ever-so-slightly salty chocolate made this a big hit with us. Best luxury chocolate egg Hand-iced Easter egg with fleur de sel truffles, £15, Waitrose This egg…

Unless you shop solely in independent farm shops, fishmongers and butchers or grow your own, it can be difficult to know where the food you’re eating comes from. Enter Happerley, an organisation working on behalf of the UK’s food industry to help consumers see the journey of the food they’re buying. The latest milestone in their mission was in February, when The Midcounties Co-operative in the Cotswolds’ Bourton-onthe-Water became the UK’s first supermarket to make it compulsory for its food and drink suppliers to tell shoppers where their ingredients are sourced from. All the products across its ‘Best of our Counties’ range now have QR codes which customers can scan (using a smartphone) to reveal the provenance of the product. It’s going to be rolled out across over 100 stores,…

Good Food’s One Pots Packed with over 90 one-pan meals including slow cooker favourites, like our Bombay roast chicken, and glorious puddings. On sale now, £3.90. Visit the Show Enjoy a delicious day out at the BBC Good Food Show Summer at Birmingham’s NEC – see p115. Readers save 20% on tickets! On your tablet Download our interactive app at the Apple App Store. Good Food how-to videos Sharpen your cookery skills with our videos. Find over 200 at bbcgoodfood.com/ feature/videos.…

Little carrot cakes with orange & honey syrup MAKES 12 PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 150ml sunflower oil, plus a little for the tin 175g light muscovado sugar 200g self-raising flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp mixed spice 1 orange, zested and juiced (save the juice for the syrup) 2 large eggs 50g natural yogurt 200g carrots, about 2 large ones, peeled and grated For the syrup and icing 50ml runny honey, plus extra to drizzle (optional) 150g mascarpone 100g thick natural yogurt 75g icing sugar, sieved edible flowers or extra orange zest, to decorate 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil a 12-hole muffin tin, or line it with muffin cases. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, bicarb, mixed…

Painful muscle cramps are a common and debilitating experience for runners during marathon training. Stretching and an appropriate training plan may help – but can your diet make a difference too? James Collins, performance nutritionist, explains: ‘Unfortunately, there is no single cure for muscle cramps. In most cases it appears that muscle fatigue (from increased training or race demands) is the main cause. Sodium depletion and dehydration have previously been linked to cramping onset, so it is wise to keep on top of your fluid intake, especially in hotter weather when sweat losses will be increased. The mineral magnesium also helps to maintain normal muscle function with a deficiency in this having been linked to cramping. If you’re worried you may have a low magnesium intake, foods such as oats,…

Chef, author and food writer Claire Thomson was born in Zimbabwe and now lives in Bristol with her husband and three children. She has cooked around the world and has written four cookbooks. See what she’s cooking on Instagram @5oclockapron Aloo chaat salad This is a sharp, punchy jumble of a salad. Try to get hold of chaat masala spice blend (readily available in all good Indian grocery stores, and online) for this recipe, as it will make all the difference. Adding a good handful of Bombay mix or salted peanuts offers good crunch. A dollop of yogurt on top would be excellent, too. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V 400g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces 2 tsp chaat masala (use garam masala…

good friday menu MENU FOR 4 Cantabrian prawn cocktail Grilled miso salmon with rice noodles Floating islands with caramel sauce Legendary BBC chef Rick Stein inspired his son Jack to follow him into the restaurant business. He is chef-director of their company’s pub, cookery school and Cornwall restaurants, and his first cookbook, World on a Plate (£26, Bloomsbury), was published this year. Cantabrian prawn cocktail Rick: Cantabria is the area of the north coast of Spain where every tapas bar (or pintxos bar, as they’re known there) has some sort of seafood and mayonnaise dish on offer. I tried this one in the fishing village of Santoña. I’ve described it as a ‘cocktail’, because, flavour-wise, that’s the easiest way to explain it. But unlike the retro classic, it’s served like…

Striped chocolate Easter egg Get familiar with tempering, the art of creating chocolate with the perfect shine and snap. MAKES 1 x 14cm, 2 x 10cm or 4 x 8cm eggs PREP 45 mins plus cooling and chilling COOK 10 mins MORE EFFORT 200g milk chocolate, about 36% cocoa solids, broken into pieces To decorate 200g white chocolate, broken into pieces pink food colouring gel (optional) 100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids (optional) Equipment you’ll need Plastic Easter egg mould (made of two halves), either smooth or crackled. The large mould used in these photos is about 14cm, medium is 10cm and smaller ones are 8cm. Available from specialist cake shops costing from around £2. A wide artist’s brush or pastry brush. Kitchen thermometer that can read low temperatures. Cotton…

SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr chilling and overnight curing COOK 40 mins MORE EFFORT What Cooking fish for a crowd can be tricky, which is where salmon en croûte comes in. Unlike many classic recipes, there’s no definitive version of this dish to reference. As long as the end result has the two key ingredients of salmon and pastry, what you season and stuff it with is a matter of taste. How Fish is a delicate thing to cook properly, and undercooked pastry isn’t pleasant, so we’ve concentrated on perfecting both elements through an optional curing process and clever assembly. In terms of flavour profile, we’ve drawn inspiration from a salmon bagel, adding cream cheese, dill and lightly pickled cucumber for a fresh crunch. What to buy…

Despite my job editing Britain’s biggest food magazine, I can never fully experience the delights that the chefs in our food hub create each month. For me, fish is off the menu – I’m allergic to it. So allergic that, if my wife has eaten fish, just a kiss causes my lips to tingle and my throat to swell. ‘Which is why I would like to eat it every day,’ my wife jokes (at least I think she’s joking). The only time she gets to indulge her pleasure is when I’m out for the night, enabling her to gorge on cod, salmon, crab or molluscs. All other mealtimes are fish-free zones. But I think Jo Pratt has the answer. Her cookbook The Flexible Pescatarian is for both seafood lovers and…

What’s your favourite cooking shortcut? I cook pasta in just enough water to tenderise it, then add cheese and butter to the reducing water to create an instant sauce. What piece of kit should home cooks have in the kitchen? A simple blender with a decent blade is a must-have. What’s your secret seasoning? I love dukkah, an Egyptian spice and nut blend. I also put a spoonful of Marmite into pot roasts and casseroles for depth of flavour. What’s the most common cooking mistake? Seasoning badly, either too much, too little, or at the wrong time. It’s always best to season at the start of cooking. You don’t need as much salt as you would at the end. Also, use a good mineralic natural salt. What’s your go-to four-ingredient…

Sea-salted chocolate & pecan tart Definitely one for a special dinner party. With its sophisticated, sweet chocolate pastry crust, unctuous ganache filling, and caramelised salted pecans, this tart will stop all conversation for all the right reasons. SERVES 10-12 PREP 35 mins COOK 50 mins plus at least 5 hrs 15 mins chilling EASY V For the pastry 175g soft butter 75g golden caster sugar 2 eggs, yolks only 250g plain flour, plus more for dusting 20g cocoa powder, sieved For the filling 200g Madagascan 64% dark chocolate, broken into pieces 200ml whipping or double cream (whipping cream gives a slightly lighter texture) 200g light muscovado sugar 5g sea salt For the topping 100g caster sugar a pinch of sea salt 100g pecan halves 1 To make the pastry, cream…

Research on this trip began in-flight, sampling Air Portugal’s great wine range. My six-year-old helped. She’d stick her nose in our wine glass, tell us what she smelt, then scrawl notes in a journal bought just for her. Everyone loves to be included. Especially if inclusion comes with the promise of pastries, pocket money and splashing in the pool. Porto is a city of two halves joined by dramatic bridges (one of them designed by Gustave Eiffel), and on the Vila Nova de Gaia side, you’ll see famous port names above the warehouses –Taylors, Fonseca and Croft. Despite the hilly terrain, the city is best experienced on foot. Shop for gorgeous Portuguese textiles on Rua das Flores, visit the park at Serralves, which is home to some wildlife – great…

Cheese, apple & potato pasties SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr 5 mins chilling COOK 50 mins EASY V 300g cold butter 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 2 medium potatoes (about 400g), halved and thinly sliced 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 350g hard cheese, grated (Lincolnshire Poacher or Cornish cheddar work well) 1 Line a baking tray with parchment. Dice 250g of the butter and tip into a mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1 tsp salt and 11/2 tsp black pepper and rub together with your fingers until the mix resembles fine crumbs (or whizz everything in a food processor). Stir in 8 tbsp cold water, then bring the mixture together with your hands to create a firm, smooth dough. Cover and chill for…