Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Good Food

A snap in the air and the arrival of autumn is all we need to break out the comfort food. This month, our team is sharing some of their favourite dishes, including the cover-starring stuffed pasta bolognese bake, and a warm coconut, rum & raisin rice pudding we defy anyone not to want seconds of. Traditionally, it’s pork season, and both our slow-cooked pork, cider & sage hotpot and Diana Henry’s roast pork with marsala & juniper will make weekend cooking a pleasure – in the making, and the eating. Rosie Birkett is cooking with a seasonal favourite, squash, and Tom Kerridge (unable to choose between his pie recipes) has shared three this issue. Don’t forget to tune in to our weekly BBC Good Food Podcast with Tom – pies…

Large skull vessel Hosting a grown-up Halloween party? Fill this glass skull with your spirit of choice and pour it in shots. £5, hobbycraft.co.uk Rainbow Dust black double-ended edible food pen Use this pen to mark edible eyes on marshmallows to make ‘ghosts’, or to draw spiders and their webs onto fondant-iced cakes or biscuits. £3, hobbycraft.co.uk Morelli squid ink linguine Serve this as ‘witch hair pasta’, tossed through with garlic, olive oil and seasoning. £4.50, souschef.co.uk Ghost ceramic snack jar Keep your party snack service on theme with this fun ceramic ghost. £4, Flying Tiger Bat-shaped Halloween doughnut wall Doughnut walls are the latest party craze and this batty one is perfect for Halloween. £9.99, gingerray.co.uk Eat Grub Peri-Peri roasted crickets Nothing is more creepy than creepy crawlies –…

Lakeland Mues (lakelandmues. co.uk) is a small producer of luxury muesli based in Cumbria. The business began with small batches of muesli made at home as fuel for ‘clambering through the Lake District fells’, then a forced break from work led friends Tim and Luke to try turning their ‘incredible breakfasts’ into a business. The pair explain, ‘We booked into a local farmers’ market, cobbled together some branding and ramped up the toasting in our mothers’ ovens!’ Their unique method of toasting muesli, which they say makes such a big difference to the taste, was introduced to them by a Swedish friend. Blends include The Artman Classic, which is full of seeds, nuts and dried fruit, and The Free Runner, a vegan and gluten-free recipe that’s sweetened with agave syrup…

Good Food’s Homemade Christmas Gear up for the festive season with lots of ideas for entertaining, edible gifts, easy bakes and cake decorating. On sale now, £5.99. 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. Festive Kitchen at the Show Get tips and seasonal inspiration with host Chris Bavin. Visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com for more information and to book tickets.…

John Whaite won the 2012 series of The Great British Bake Off, and since then he’s written five cookbooks, was the resident chef on ITV’s Lorraine for two years, and opened his own cookery school in Lancashire, John Whaite’s Kitchen. @John_Whaite Black pepper & basil vegetable stir-fry This recipe should come with a warning: it is intensely hot. But it’s not a chilli heat that commands vats of cooling ice water, rather a more nasal heat. Use half the amount of black pepper for less of a kick. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 2 tbsp olive oil 1 aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes 4 spring onions, sliced into 2cm pieces 1/2 courgette, cut into 1cm discs 2 banana shallots, cut into 8 segments lengthways 40g…

Rum & raisin parkin Pour rum over a handful of raisins and leave to soak overnight. Mix most into the batter, then serve with with extra raisins scattered over. Sticky pear & parkin sundaes Pile cubes of parkin into glasses with a chopped canned pear, toffee ice cream and some ginger syrup mixed with whisky. Top with toasted pecans. Caramelised banana, parkin & custard Fry a sliced banana in butter until golden, add a drizzle of golden syrup and carefully toss. Serve over parkin with thick custard.…

Slow cooker ratatouille SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 6 hrs 20 mins EASY V * 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves 2 large aubergines, cut into 1.5cm pieces 3 courgettes, halved and cut into 2cm pieces 3 mixed peppers, cut into 2cm pieces 1 tbsp tomato purée 6 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped small bunch of basil, roughly chopped, plus a few extra leaves to serve few thyme sprigs 400g can plum tomatoes 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp brown sugar sourdough, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 8 mins until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the aubergines and fry for 5…

HEALTHY KIDS How to boost your child’s immune system If the onset of the colder months often sees your child picking up coughs and colds, discover our top tips for boosting their general health. When working properly, our immune system is designed to fight diseases and keep bacteria and viruses at bay. But if it’s weakened at any time, we are more vulnerable to illness – and the same goes for our kids. We’re surrounded by bugs and germs in our everyday lives, but this exposure can actually strengthen a child’s immune system. There are other key ideas that we can implement to give our kids the boost they need, too. Oily fish Omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits for adults and kids alike, and are found in oily…

There is a joy in making proper pies, especially when you can enjoy a mini one all to yourself. We do little individual venison ragout ones at The Hand and Flowers, The Coach does a steak and blue cheese pie, The Butcher’s Tap has pies to take away, and Kerridge’s Bar & Grill is known for its snout-shaped pig’s cheek pie. Although all of these pies come in different shapes and flavours, we use essentially the same technique to make them, so here’s one method for making individual pies (p86) – plus three ways I fill them at home. Philly cheesesteak pies Here’s a twist on an American classic –the filling is normally packed in a sub-style roll. MAKES enough filling for 6 individual pies PREP 15 mins plus cooling…

HOW TO Tie meat like a butcher This will help secure homemade stuffing, ensure a neat shape and promote even cooking 1 Using a 3-metre length of butcher’s string, tie around the width of the meat twice. Secure with a knot, but do not trim. 2 Use the long piece of string to make a loop, then pull it over the meat. Pull lightly to secure. Repeat along the joint. 3 Flip the joint over and weave the excess string through the loops along the bottom. 4 Tie the string and trim the ends with scissors. You are now ready to roast. Find this stuffed saddle of lamb recipe at bbcgoodfood.com…

BEST FOR BEGINNERS NAME Le Creuset Signature cast iron skillet (23cm) PRICE £115 amazon.co.uk Le Creuset’s Signature cast iron skillet is a great choice for those easing themselves in to the world of skillets. It’s slightly lighter than many other pans we tested, as well as having a handle on each side, making it particularly easy to use. We highly rated its non-stick surface, comfortable handles, even heat distribution as well as the general aesthetic, coming in various colours. At 23cm wide, it’s a slightly smaller pan than others, making it easy to store. BEST NON-STICK NAME Fiskars Norden 26cm non-stick cast iron frying pan PRICE £102 royaldesign.co.uk With a a beautiful matte finish and wooden handle, this Nordic-style skillet from Fiskars was the sleekest-looking of the bunch. The handle…

1 Every cook should own a solid chopping board. There’s nothing worse than prepping on a small, flimsy board. It’s your starting point before you’ve even done any cooking, and that ease and comfort you get from a big board sets you up right. 2 Baste with soft butter mixed with yeast extract and lemon juice. It’s incredible brushed over cooking steaks or anything on the barbecue, as it lends some meaty seasoning. The trick is to not add so much yeast extract that you can taste it. 3 For a quick dish, it has to be rarebit. We serve a brilliant one as a bar snack in the pub using local Cornish ingredients. In fact, we use the butter mentioned above to spread over the bread before we add…

Destination leaders You can go beyond the beaten track with more than 380 destinations worldwide. Local discoveries Immerse yourself in the local culture, from traditional ceremonies to skills workshops. Joyful rejuvenation Achieve peak bliss onboard at the adult-only retreat The Sanctuary or the serene Lotus Spa. Welcoming experience The friendly crew will go the extra mile to help you make the most of your holiday. Personalised service Smart OceanMedallion technology will allow you to easily open your stateroom door, order drinks and stay connected with the best Wi-Fi at sea.…

I won’t bore you with the secrets of how certain dishes become hip. Mainly, because I don’t know. No-one does. The process by which an old dish is revived or an imported dish becomes popular is a complex algorithm of commerce, utility, PR and pure chance. It’s a lottery. But a lottery that, in an Insta-food era when chefs all want to cook #trending dishes, feels increasingly stifling. Fashionable foods now proliferate across menus instantly (ramen, cacio e pepe, raclette, larb) and are then discarded as the next social media hype emerges. There is a certain cheap excitement in this perpetual novelty. But it also creates narrow menus. Where are the chefs with the confidence to ignore this group-think and cook with independent brio? Who will refresh beef stroganoff rather…

Frighteningly Good Toffee! Great for giving and perfect for sharing at Halloween and Bonfire night are Walker’s Nonsuch Treacle Toffees. Made with real black treacle and whole milk, the taste and chew are second to none. The Walker family have been making toffee since 1894. All the toffee is free from artificial colours, preservatives, hydrogenated vegetable oils and gluten too! Retailing from £1.00 and available from Booth’s, Sainsbury’s and our online shop. walkers-nonsuch.co.uk Trug Makers For a handmade Sussex Trug. An historic and treasured accessory for both chefs and kitchen gardeners to harvest their produce in the traditional way. Our No. 5 and No. 6 are perfect kitchen receptacles for fruit, herbs, eggs or edible flowers etc. starting at £35.40. The No.7 or No.8 are both ideal for bringing home…

Spoons of Taste coconut Feel Good Bites (5 x 12g), £2.69, spoonsoftaste. com These date, coconut and oat balls are a healthy afternoon pick-me-up. Pieminister Chana-Rama chickpea & spinach patties (pack of 2, 120g), £2.50, Sainsbury’s Crisp and well-seasoned pastry is filled with a spiced, samosa-like filling. Pizza Express Romana vegetable & ricotta pizza (420g), £5.50, Waitrose & Partners and Ocado The latest in Pizza Express’s bake-at-home range, this has a thin, crispy base, creamy ricotta and a hint of chilli. Genie Living Drinks Co Live Soda in lemon & ginger (12 x 330ml), £25, geniedrinks. co.uk This tastes like homemade lemonade, but is low-cal and full of probiotics. Manilife deep roast crunchy peanut butter (295g), £3.99, Waitrose & Partners Once you have deep-roasted peanut butter, you won’t…

What it is Tamarind comes from the seed pods of the tamarind tree, native to Africa, but now grown all over Asia and Mexico. The seeds form a sticky pulp with a sweet and sour taste. The riper the fruit, the sweeter the pulp. Different forms You can buy tamarind in four forms: raw pods, a concentrated paste, a sauce and, most commonly, as a block of pulp. Tamarind paste can be used straight from the container, while blocks must be soaked, then filtered before use. How it’s used Tamarind is used extensively in Southeast Asian, Indian and Mexican cooking to flavour curries, chutneys and bean dishes. It is also a key ingredient in a very British condiment – Worcestershire sauce – and has been since 1837. Health benefits For…

Chocolate hazelnut mousse This is the simplest mousse, and we all need a quick mousse recipe for when we get a sudden urge for dessert or something sweet. I, for one, love chocolate hazelnut spread, but I also love the spreads that used to be just chocolate bars and have been reborn as the same thing in jars in a spreadable form. You can use whichever you like. SERVES 8 PREP 20 mins EASY V 200g chocolate hazelnut spread 50ml whole milk 600ml double cream 1 tbsp cornflour 3 tbsp icing sugar 100g roasted chopped hazelnuts whipped cream from a can and cocoa powder, to serve (optional) 1 Put the spread in a bowl with the milk, then heat in the microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until…

WINE Sir Ian Botham Wines As one of Britain’s greatest cricketing all-rounders, Sir Ian Botham ruled the grounds with bat and ball. While playing all over the world, he developed a passion for New World wines, so when he hung up his pads, he became a winemaker and now produces four whites and five reds – each commemorating a milestone in his illustrious career. Best-selling is the 81 Series Barossa Shiraz, representing the year Sir Ian led England to victory in the Ashes, later dubbed the ‘Botham Ashes’. At 14.5%, it is robust and beefy – just like the man himself! Sir Ian says, ‘Developing my own range of wines has been something I’ve wanted to do for years and I’m thrilled the time has now come.’ Sir Ian will…

Vampiro cocktail A sophisticated mix of tequila and mescal in this bloody-mary-style cocktail creates a really vibrant, grown-up Halloween treat. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins EASY fine smoked salt 40ml blanco tequila 10ml mescal 20ml passata 10ml lime juice 5ml lemon juice 5ml grenadine 10ml Worcestershire sauce 3 dashes hot pepper sauce 1 Chill a small wine glass or coupette glass, then brush a little water on the rim and dip into a saucer of the fine smoked salt, or lay the glass in the salt and roll it a little so that a quarter of the glass is covered in salt (see tip, below). This creates a shimmering veil effect. 2 Put the rest of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker or a glass full of ice. Stir until…

Add a contemporary twist to your dining table with this pair of gravity salt and pepper mills from Cooks Professional, designed in a choice of three colours: stainless steel, copper and graphite. The mills automatically grind the salt or pepper and are activated with a simple tilt of the mill, allowing them to be used one-handed. Exclusive price – just £14.99, plus £4.95 p&p. To order, call 0844 493 5654** quoting 95487 or visit clifford-james.co.uk/95487…

Spicy sweet potato fishcakes with charred greens SERVES 4 PREP 35 mins plus chilling COOK 1 hr 30 mins EASY * uncooked fishcakes 3 large or 4 medium (520g) sweet potatoes 1 tbsp white miso paste thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated 2 red chillies, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp ground cumin ½ lemon, juiced ½ small bunch coriander, chopped 2 fillets skinless salmon (250g), finely chopped 2 fillets skinless firm white fish (250g), finely chopped 2 tsp smoked paprika 50g dried breadcrumbs 50g plain flour 2 eggs, beaten 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 1 tsp 400g long-stem broccoli 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp honey lemon wedges, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/gas 4. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and…

HEALTH HACK The Med diet: is it good for you? Along with an abundance of vitamins and antioxidants, there are plenty of reasons why a Mediterranean diet is so healthy. Dr Michael Mosley explains. ‘Eating Mediterranean-style foods such as extra virgin olive oil, oily fish, seafood, pulses, beans, dairy, wholegrains and veg, have a positive effect on the trillions of microbes in your gut, which are important for your physical and mental well-being. The “good” bacteria turn fibre into short-chain fatty acids, which reduce inflammation in the gut and throughout the body. A recent study also found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 33% lower risk of developing depression, while other studies have linked this way of eating to a lower risk of heart disease and type…

Spinach kedgeree with spiced salmon SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 45 mins EASY 2 tsp rapeseed oil 1 large onion, halved and sliced thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 6-8 cardamom pods, seeds crushed 11/2 tsp ground turmeric 11/2 tsp ground coriander 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 large red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped 70g brown basmati rice 375ml vegetable stock, made with 2 tsp bouillon powder 160g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped For the salmon 3 tbsp fat-free natural yogurt 1 tbsp finely chopped mint or coriander 2 skinless wild salmon fillets 1 tbsp toasted almonds, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and ginger…

Autumn is my favourite time of year to cook. I know most prefer spring and summer – all the asparagus and sweet-tart tomatoes and perky little radishes – and I do miss summer’s stone fruit once it’s finished, but autumn is about slowing down and getting back into the kitchen. Spring and summer are about living, being outdoors as much as possible, doing things faster. Autumn feels like having a lie-down on the sofa and snoozing. You turn inwards, but in a good way. You think about making dishes that take more time, partly because you want the smell of cooking in the house. It’s impossible to have the stock pot on the go in August. You don’t feel like chicken soup and you don’t want to have something sitting…

Anyone who loves Indian food will know that Dishoom is a huge success, with dishes that have acquired legendary status, notably the bacon naan roll with chilli sauce, as well as the house black dhal. Its three co-founders, Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar and Naved Nasir, have brought the Irani café experience of 1900s Bombay (now Mumbai) to London, Manchester and Edinburgh, causing such a stir that people queue for up to an hour to get a table (and partly because of its no-booking policy for parties of fewer than six). If you’d rather not queue, you can experience the food in the comfort of your own home with their new cookbook, Dishoom: From Bombay with Love, sharing head chef Naved’s recipes and slice-of-life observations from the Indian metropolis. Shamil calls…

Gruyère 7 months A cook’s cheese, this melts without oiliness. Aged cheese can be harsh when melted, so this younger cheese is best. The texture works beautifully in sauces, including the famous fondue. Gruyère 18 months The World Cheese Awards has been won five times by a gruyère – it combines sweet, salty and savoury notes with the flora of the high pastures. Comté 18 months Without a doubt, this is France’s best Alpine cheese. Not as sweet or salty as Swiss styles, comté is a favourite for its floral flavours. Cheeses provided by paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk and barbers.co.uk…

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 Find Henry’s tasting notes, including food pairings, for all the selected wines at bbcgoodfood.com/wine-club. THIS MONTH’S FAVOURITE OPI MALBEC Wine type Argentinian Malbec Characteristics Dark bramble fruit, blackcurrants, hints of violet and spice Goes well with spicy sausages, pasta or beef casserole Tastes similar to a plummy, full-bodied Merlot TRY IT WITH philly cheesesteak pie, p85 A wine for every dish Ever wondered which white wine to match with your…

Duck confit. Slow roast shoulder of lamb. Osso bucco. Short ribs. Chicken wings. These are my top five meat dishes. Can you spot the common factor? They all have bones and a fair amount of fat. Now I know that my personal preference runs contrary to the modern obsession with lean, boned meat. So when someone is carving a chicken they generally love having me at the table, because while most people ask for breast – which is pretty boring to eat, if you ask me – I’m only too happy to eat the wings, the thighs, the legs, and positively delighted to devour the crisp roast skin that others are studiously avoiding. I feel the same way about bacon: it has to be streaky. This, by the way, is…

Sonnwies is open year-round and during ski season, the kids can enjoy the following: • Ski tow for little skiers • Tobogganing slope • Ice rink • Hiking tours with lanterns • Baking apples in the tepee How to get there Sonnwies is 50 minutes from Innsbruck Airport by car, 15 minutes from Brixen with its well-connected train station and 5 minutes to the idyllic village of Lüsen. How to do it Sonnwies (sonnwies.com) rooms from £343 per night based on two adults and two children sharing on an all-inclusive basis. Assistance for this feature was provided by Sonnwies. For more information on South Tyrol visit suedtirol.info/en.…

Tucked away by the river in an ‘under construction’ part of Vauxhall in south London – in the shadow of the new American Embassy – is Robin Gill’s new opening, Darby’s. Much larger than sister restaurants The Dairy and Sorella in Clapham, Darby’s is a New-York-inspired, all-day oyster bar-cum-grill on a grand scale. Ingredients are well sourced, with Dooncastle oysters from Connemara, Secret Smokehouse salmon and Baron Bigod cheese, all featuring alongside bread made in the on-site bakery and day boat fish. This menu will give you a taste of what’s on offer, or you could visit – the service is superb, and a pint of stout and half a dozen oysters will only set you back £10 between 5 and 7pm. darbys-london.com Guinness old fashioned MAKES 1 Simmer a…

Always read the recipe thoroughly before starting, and use standard measuring spoons for accuracy. Where possible, we use humanely reared British meats, high welfare chicken and eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice, and sustainably sourced fish. We avoid waste by using full packs, or suggesting how to use leftovers. If egg size is important, we’ll state it in the recipe. Helping you to eat well Our BANT-registered nutritionist analyses our recipes on a per-serving basis, not including optional serving suggestions. You can compare these amounts with the Reference Intake (RI), the official amount an adult should consume daily: Energy 2,000 kcals, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 260g, Fat 70g, Saturates 20g, Sugar 90g, Salt 6g (please note, RIs for total fat, saturates, sugar and salt are the maximum daily…

This month’s food news, trends, Nadiya Hussain’s chocolate mousse, and a Halloween cocktail Not only are retro puds making a bit of a comeback (think lemon meringue, profiteroles and sticky toffee pudding), but we’re seeing ‘no waste’ menus cropping up, too. Chefs are coming up with clever ways to turn yesterday’s ingredients into new dishes, like at Bob’s Lobster in London (bobslobster. com), where any leftover brioche from their lobster rolls makes its way onto the dessert menu as a bread and butter pudding. Try our version, made with leftover brioche hot dog or finger rolls and a boozy rum-and-raisin twist. Brioche & brown butter pudding MAKES 6 PREP 20 mins plus 30 mins soaking COOK 1 hr EASY V 45g sultanas 2 tbsp dark rum 75g unsalted butter 6…

This October, Fairtrade celebrates 25 years since the first certified products launched in the UK. The foundation ensures fairer prices and conditions for farmers, and there are now around 5,000 Fairtrade-certified products available. But chief executive Michael Gidney says, ‘Still, millions of farmers and workers continue to face risks every day from climate change, price volatility and unscrupulous buyers.’ Continue supporting Fairtrade with this dark chocolate bar from Chocolate and Love (£3.50, Ocado).…

Non-dairy milk alternatives Recent research by Mintel revealed that a quarter of British people are now drinking non-dairy milk alternatives such as soy, oat and nut milk. These plant-based milks are most popular among 16-24-year-olds. Lower sugar chocolate With sugar and obesity frequently in the news, the big chocolate-makers are responding; Cadbury’s launched its dairy milk bar with 30% less sugar in July while Nestlé has created a bar sweetened only with cacao pulp. It’s being trialled in Japan. Rosé vermouth Pink drinks are huge – and so is vermouth. So it was only a matter of time before the two trends came together. We’ve spotted a few rosé vermouths on the market recently, including El Bandarra Rosé Vermut, Lillet rosé and Belsazar Vermouth rosé. Seed butters In recent years…

CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF This year’s nail-biting Chef’s Table challenge is cooking the dishes of MasterChef: The Professionals judge Monica Galetti. The three finalists must impress a table of top Michelin-starred chefs, before returning to the studio for their last cook-off. The final is on 11 October on BBC One. THE KITCHEN CABINET Jay Rayner’s culinary delight returns this autumn with regular panelists including former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson and Great British Menu’s Andi Oliver. The food roadshow crisscrosses the country starting in London and ending in Middlesbrough on 9 November. Saturdays at 10.30am on BBC Radio 4. Kathryn Custance…

Fire and Spice by John Gregory-Smith (£25, Nourish) Food writer John specialises in Middle Eastern cooking and is an expert in spices after travelling around Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Mexico, and cooking with locals along the way. From Turkish luhmacun to Szechuan lamb noodles and Keralan curries, this book is packed with recipes from his adventures with plenty of fiery heat and exotic flavours along the way. Must-try recipe Singapore laksa Sour by Mark Diacono (£25, Quadrille) The nation’s love of sour flavours is on the up as we embrace fermented products like sourdough, kimchi and kombucha. Mark argues that all food can do with an acid zing and his book explores this concept, with recipes ranging from bread and pasta to pickles,…

Slow-cooked pork, cider & sage hotpot Growing up in the north-west, hotpot and meat pies were a weekly staple in our house; steak and kidney pudding, Lancashire hotpot, and creamy chicken and leek pie were some of my favourite dishes. When I moved to London, I wanted to combine all my favourites into one pie and came up with a silky, slow-cooked pork filling flavoured with cider and sage beneath a crispy, crunchy layer of potatoes, like the sort that tops a traditional hotpot. I make this frequently for friends in the winter when you need something that sticks to your ribs and puts a smile on your face. Anna Glover, acting food editor SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins COOK 3 hrs MORE EFFORT * 4 tbsp olive oil, plus…

the dilemma I need an easy dessert that’s versatile enough to serve for Bonfire Night, Halloween or just a cosy autumn night. the solution Try this one-pan pud/cake hybrid. Served straight from the oven, it’s a richly spiced sponge, perfect with custard, but the leftovers also turn into a sticky cake. The beauty of this sponge is that there’s no buttering or lining of tins, no whisking of butter and sugar, no specialist equipment or multiple bowls. It’s the sort of sponge pudding you’ll want to dive into with a jug of custard, and you’ll be eyeing up another portion when you’re only one mouthful in. But the best thing is, the leftovers keep so well. A treacly sponge, when served just warm from the oven, has an almost sticky…

Squash, sage & shallot tart SERVES 6 PREP 35 mins COOK 55 mins EASY V Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel, halve and slice 4 banana shallots and1/2 butternut squash, deseeded. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of chilli flakes. Spread out on a baking sheet and season. Line a 22cm tart tin with shortcrust pastry. Prick the base, cover with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake on the middle shelf with the veg on top for 20 mins. Lift out the paper and beans, remove the veg and bake the pastry for 5-10 mins more until dried. Tip the veg into the pastry case. Beat 6 eggs with 120ml crème fraîche, 50g grated cheese (I like parmesan), 10 chopped sage leaves,…

Eyeball & hand fruit punch It’s essential that all the liquids in this punch are chilled so the hands don’t melt too fast. SERVES 14-15 PREP 10 mins plus overnight freezing NO COOK EASY V 425g can lychees 225g jar cocktail cherries 15 raisins 1 litre carton blueberry, blackberry or purple grape juice, chilled 1 litre carton cherry or cranberry juice, chilled 1 litre sparkling water, chilled You’ll also need 2 pairs powder-free disposable gloves 1 Rinse the disposable gloves and fill each with water. Tie a knot in the top of each as you would a balloon, or use a tight bag clip to hold the opening closed. Freeze overnight. 2 Drain the lychees and cocktail cherries, reserving the juices in a jug. Push a raisin into one end…

Creamy fish & leek pie I have decided to combine two of my favourite dishes, fish pie and creamed leeks, in this lighter but still thick and creamy fish pie, which is also gluten-free. Baking rather than boiling the potatoes for the topping might take a little longer, but it’s also less work. You get that incredible baked potato flavour that works so well with melted cheese, plus you get the skins, which you can bake until crisp or load with cheese for another day. SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr 45 mins EASY * For the mash topping 1.5kg Rooster or Maris Piper potatoes, unpeeled 200ml double cream 50ml milk 50g grated cheddar 50g grated parmesan For the fish pie mix 100g butter 3 leeks, thinly sliced…

MEET ALAN AND HAMLIN Four years ago, Alan was paired with his assistance dog, Hamlin, by the charity Canine Partners. Living with Parkinson’s presents its challenges for Alan, but Hamlin always knows what to do: ‘He’ll come and rest his chin on my leg, so I’ve forever got wet patches on my knees. Nowadays he even gives me a hug.’ Discover more at caninepartners.org.uk MEET ELLIE AND EVIE Ellie got miniature dachshund Evie as a puppy, and the two have been inseparable ever since. ‘Her full name is Evie-Rose Chipolata, and she has loads of nicknames like Evie-Weevie, Silly Sausage and, because of her size, Pocket Rocket,’ Ellie says. ‘It’s just us two at home, but she always makes me laugh, and is always there for cuddles. She also adores…

COOKING PASTA THE BASICS AND THE MYTHS • The best pan to boil pasta in is tall rather than wide as it cooks better in deep water. • Pasta should be cooked in lots of salted gently boiling water. • As a guide, you should salt pasta water using about 1 tsp for every litre of water used. • Cooking pasta in unsalted water will make it taste bland, however much seasoning you add after it is cooked. • To start with, the pasta should be stirred lots to stop it sticking, then stirred occasionally. • Adding oil to pasta water doesn’t actually help to stop the pasta from sticking. • Pasta water may not look great, but it contains the flavour of the pasta and is ideal for loosening…

1 Chicken & chickpea pastillas Shred any leftover chicken from p42 and mix back into the chickpeas with a pinch of cinnamon. Wrap spoonfuls of the mixture in filo pastry to make triangular parcels, then bake at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 for 30 mins until crisp and golden. 2 Coconut & mango ‘rice cream’ scoops Stir chopped mango through any leftover coconut rice pudding from p33 that has been chilled in the fridge. Serve in scoops scattered with toasted coconut flakes, if you have any. 3 Tex-Mex rice bowls Re-fry any leftover Tex-Mex crispy pork rice from p40 with some chopped coriander, if you have it. Serve in bowls topped with tomato salsa, fried eggs and chopped green chillies. 4 Chickpea curry puff pies Chop some…

‘If your brown sugar has dried to a solid block, there are a few ways of dealing with it. You can grate it into your recipe, or warm it in short blasts in the microwave until it softens. Or, if you’re not in a hurry, wrapping the pack in a damp tea towel overnight will help to bring it back to its original softness.’…

Here’s a random fact: in 1891, Haro became the first town in Spain (though, note, not the world – more on that later) to install electric street lighting. Just over the Ebro river from the Basque Country, Haro is also famous for being the wine capital of Rioja, the region that makes Spain’s best-known and best-loved wine. “We all have a wine comfort zone – we instinctively reach for places and grapes we know” We all have comfort zones when it comes to wine – places or grapes that we instinctively reach for – and for many, that zone is rioja. Sometimes referred to as Spain’s answer to bordeaux, rioja produces both red and white wine, but like bordeaux, it’s the red that is much better known. Red rioja is…

Highlands gin from Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland “Head to the library to try one of 30 gins with local Scottish tonic water” Although Grantown-on-Spey is probably best-known as the start of the Highlands whisky trail, a recent explosion of gin distilleries is making a mark. In fact, 70% of the gin produced in the UK is distilled north of the border. Small-batch, artisan producers are cropping up from the lowlands to the Shetlands, making use of unique Scottish botanicals. Take a trip to the heartland of juniper spirit country, and spend a long weekend touring distilleries, tasting the Highlands’ unique culinary bounty. Balmenach Distillery has been making sippable single malts since 1824, but their small-batch gin is just 10-years-old. Caorunn is the sprightly younger sibling taking inspiration from its natural surroundings. Eleven…

star letter I have to defend the pub trade after Joanna Blythman’s slating in the September issue. Pubs are a great British tradition and are all about social interaction. In rural communities, the pub is the hub of the area – farmers often spend all day alone, so what’s wrong with meeting in a pub for a well-earned pint? Staying socially active is life-enhancing and good for your health. Without the pub, even some city folk would only see other people at work. It’s not social drinking at pubs that’s a problem, it’s people drinking supermarket booze alone at home, or in gangs in parks, it’s not my customers! Sharon Hookings, (landlady of The Red Hart Inn), Blaisdon Sharon wins 12 bottles of Cune Crianza 2015 (£9.99, Majestic). Made from…

Frozen pumpkin cheesecake SERVES 10 PREP 25 mins plus chilling and overnight freezing NO COOK EASY V * 300g gingernut biscuits 350ml maple syrup, plus extra to serve 350g full-fat cream cheese 300g pumpkin purée 300ml double cream 1 Blitz 250g of the biscuits in a food processor with 125ml of the syrup until it resembles fine crumbs. Line a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment, then firmly push the crumbs into the base, transfer to the fridge and chill for 30 mins. 2 Beat 100ml of the syrup with the cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Whip 200ml of the cream with 100ml of the syrup to soft peaks. Fold into the cream cheese mixture, then spoon over the base and level the top. Cover and freeze overnight. 3 Lightly…