Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Good Food

‘Winter is my favourite culinary season; it’s the food of celebration and survival. When you come home on a cold, wet day, open the door and smell something cooking – that’s one of the best things.’ Nigel Slater shares his joy of cooking with Emma Freud on page 127. His love of simplicity chimes with this issue’s celebratory theme – spend less time wrestling with hundreds of ingredients and complicated kit, and more time eating with the people you love. So, what to cook this season? Anna Glover’s easy two-tray Christmas dinner is a revelation (p32), while Diana Henry’s marmalade, ginger & star anise ham (p98) requires a little effort but is still, like all Good Food recipes, very achievable. This year, Good Food celebrated its 30th anniversary, and to…

Pleesecakes black forest pine cone mini cheesecakes (280g, pack of 2), £12, Ocado Need a last-minute dessert? We love these mini cheesecakes which combine creamy chocolate cheesecake with chocolate brownie and a cherry compote filling on a biscuit base. Speculaas sandwich biscuits (155g), £13.95, Fortnum & Mason Crisp, mildly spiced biscuits sandwich a chunky dark chocolate filling. The gorgeous tin makes these a great gift, too. Kinda Co faux lox & dill creamy spread (130g), £6.99, shop. lafauxmagerie.com This vegan cream cheese is made from cashews, carrots, lemon and dill. Try it on bagels or on crackers. Chunky piccalilli (300g), £6.95, libertylondon.com This tangy, slightly sweet piccalilli has nice big chunks of crunchy veg. It’s delicious with a strong cheddar, lancashire (see below) or leftover Christmas ham. Trotter Hill lancashire…

Quick gin-cured salmon with horseradish & parsnip SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins plus curing COOK 10 mins EASY 10g butter 1 tbsp olive oil 2 small parsnips, peeled and grated (250g unprepared weight) 25ml milk 1 tbsp horseradish sauce 2 tbsp crème fraîche 150g piece of boneless and skinless salmon fillet 1 tbsp rock salt or flaky sea salt ½ orange, zested 25ml gin 3 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted 2 tbsp chopped dill 1 Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add the grated parsnip. Season well and cook for around 5 mins until golden and soft. Add the milk and heat for 2 mins. Transfer to a small blender or food processor. Add the horseradish and crème fraîche and blitz until…

Each member of the Good Food team was given a survey to complete without conferring. It was multiple choice for topics such as bread type, then for fillings they chose from a list of classic Christmas leftovers (turkey, sprouts, roast potatoes etc) and also had the option to add suggestions for personal preference. There were clear winners – like the unanimous request for white bread – but other times the results were mixed. We rejected cheese. Once debated, the winning sandwich combination was tested in the Good Food Test Kitchen.…

• The better the pork, the better the crackling. Intensively reared pork is often injected with water to increase the weight and keep the meat plump – this is released as it cooks and stops the skin from crackling. • Deep-scoring the skin and basting the pork with the hot fat as it cooks helps it to blister. • Salt the skin as soon as you can and up to 48 hours ahead. Salting ‘cures’ the skin and draws the moisture from it. • Cooking the pork on a high heat like we have gives great results – just watch it closely at the end so it doesn’t burn.…

Chocolate orange waffles SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V 2 eggs 200ml milk 130g self-raising flour, sieved 20g cocoa powder, sieved 20g caster sugar 60g butter, melted 1 tsp orange essence 1 large orange, zested 25g dark chocolate, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve To serve  segmented oranges, maple syrup, grated chocolate and whipped cream 1 Heat a waffle maker while you make the batter, or if you don’t have one, use a griddle pan (see tip, right). Meanwhile, mix the eggs and milk in a jug. 2 Combine the flour, cocoa and sugar in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the egg and milk mixture until there are no lumps. Slowly pour in the melted butter, still whisking, then add the orange essence, zest and…

Roast cauliflower, anchovy & onion bake SERVES 4 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 1 hr EASY Break 1 medium-sized cauliflower into florets. Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water with the lid on for 4 mins, then drain and allow to steam- dry. Melt 40g butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add 4 anchovy fillets, 1 bay leaf and 1 sliced white onion. Season and cook for 10-15 mins until the onion is starting to colour. Scatter over 2 tbsp plain flour and cook for 2 mins. Add 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 400ml whole milk, and whisk as it cooks until thickened, about 8 mins. Remove the bay and add 20g grated parmesan, seasoning and a…

Easy hedgehog canapé skewers MAKES 36 skewers PREP 35 mins NO COOK EASY 1 grapefruit or1/2 large cucumber, for the hedgehog (optional) 12 mozzarella pearls 1 tsp pesto 2-3 tbsp olive oil 12 basil leaves 12 small cherry tomatoes 2 pineapple rings, each cut into 6 50g medium cheddar, cut into 12 small cubes 50g red leicester, cut into 12 small cubes 12 cooked and shelled prawns ½ lemon, juiced ½ cucumber, cut into 2 even chunks and shaved into ribbons 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp sesame seeds You will need 36 bamboo (or reusable) short skewers or long toothpicks 1 To make a hedgehog to push the skewers into, use a grapefruit with the base trimmed flat, or use a cucumber to make a longer holder. 2 For…

1 Carve away a leg and thigh. Separate the thigh and drumstick, then slice them. Repeat with the other leg and thigh. 2 Wiggle the wing and carve it away (so that you can carve the breast more easily). Repeat with the other wing. 3 Using a carving fork to hold the turkey steady, slice the breast on the diagonal. Repeat with the other breast. Find our recipe for pancetta & roast shallot-stuffed turkey (above) at bbcgoodfood.com…

BEST BUDGET NAME Sainsbury’s three-piece stainless steel pan set PRICE £47 sainsburys.co.uk Silicone rims mean the lids of these pans make next to no noise when removed and replaced. They also have nifty pouring spouts and soft-grip handles, so it’s a cinch to drain vegetables and pasta. The grade of stainless steel is not top-class, but it is heavy enough for even heat distribution, avoiding hot spots. Under £50 for three? A steal. BEST BLOW-OUT NAME Le Creuset three-ply stainless steel saucepan set PRICE £271 johnlewis.com Combining good looks with second-to-none construction, this is a set to have on display. The pans’ triple-layer stainless steel ensures even, constant heat and the solid lids make cooking with less water easier, locking in steam and flavour. Measurements marked inside the pans and…

CHESTNUTS While they can be bought pre-cooked, roasting chestnuts from fresh to enjoy their mealy, soft texture puts them in a category of their own. Try using them in stuffings, or sizzled with bacon to serve with Brussels sprouts. BRAZIL NUTS Oily and good for you, these large nuts are available to buy shelled year-round. Brazil nuts pair really well with dried fruit, so they’re great in a Christmas cake. Or, try finely grating some over a creamy soup. ALMONDS One of the most versatile nuts, they’re just as good shelled and salted as they are in cakes and puds. They pair well with most fruits, as well as fish, chicken and lamb. You can buy almonds ground (use as a flour substitute), slivered, chopped, flaked, toasted and shelled. WALNUTS…

It’s Friday night and you’ve mixed yourself a stiff G&T. How much do you know about what’s in your glass, how it was made and where it originated? A new wave of distillers are keen to educate spirit-drinkers so they consider provenance – much in the same way we think about a wine’s terroir – and sustainability when choosing what to pour. Many companies buy in their neutral grain spirit (base of the drink) then redistill it to keep costs down. But with single estate spirits, most of the ingredients come from one specific plot of land, and the entire production process happens on-site. In Wiltshire, Ramsbury Estates’s manager Alistair Ewing and his team oversee the production of its London Dry gin from field right through to bottle. Horatio wheat,…

Sweet potato puff pastry The filling should be soft but not wet. Should you choose to boil the sweet potato instead of steaming, make sure to drain thoroughly, and leave uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the steam to escape. I have also made this with maincrop, floury-fleshed potatoes, adding a handful of grated cheese after mashing. A deeply satisfying pie for a cold day. SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 1 hr EASY V 850g sweet potatoes 2 tsp harissa paste 1 tsp ras el hanout 325g puff pastry 1 egg couple of pinches of black sesame seeds 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to warm – it will help the base of your pastry crisp. Put a pan…

New Year’s Eve? I’ve experienced every type there is. I’ve done the big parties that start with a dangerous ‘house cocktail’ and end with such a late taxi home that it’s almost time to get up. I’ve done the civilised dinners with a small handful of friends. I’ve done the home delivery curry with a strong G&T, and I ve even done the ‘nothing at all and in bed by 10pm’, which I think might be my favourite. For me, the new year is about looking forward and starting as you mean to go on. With that in mind, I’d suggest trying some new drinks that could be enjoyed over the festive season and beyond. Zero-alcohol drinks, for example, are becoming increasingly popular, not just for those who are driving…

Honey & Smoke bills itself as a grill house, but has a smart, modern interior that speaks of much more than simply kebabs and grilled veg. Its older sibling, Honey & Co, is a much smaller outfit that’s always packed to the rafters, but here you can score a table without much effort. Dishes are, of course, from the Middle Eastern diaspora, with familiar flavours from Turkey and Morocco via Israel. Aubergine, tahini, lamb chops and octopus all feature on the menu – summer stars bright tomato and peppers while winter showcases darker, richer options, such as lamb necks with burnt aubergine yogurt (p148) and grilled apples & pears (p149). honeyandco.co.uk Plum syrup Cut 3-4 stoned red plums into wedges and put in a roasting tin with 2 tbsp caster…

Cheesy stuffed pancakes For those who aren’t veggie, top these cheesy pancakes with smoked salmon or leftover cooked ham to make them even more indulgent and comforting. SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 16 mins EASY V 350g mascarpone ½ small bunch of chives, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 150g gruyère, comté or other hard cheese, including vegetarian alternatives, grated 8 shop-bought unsweetened pancakes (or find a recipe on bbcgoodfood.com) 350g leftover cooked ham or smoked salmon (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the mascarpone in the microwave for 1-2 mins, or until loosened. Stir in the chives and half of the grated hard cheese, then season generously with black pepper and a good pinch of salt. 2 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.…

NOW WE’RE EATING Furikake devilled eggs Serve this twist on a classic canapé at your next party Furikake is a Japanese seasoning that is traditionally sprinkled on rice, but like so many other seasonings, it works well in all sorts of mash-ups. Think of it like salt and pepper. There’s no one recipe but it often contains seaweed and sesame seeds, and comes in different flavours like matcha, bonito and wasabi. Recently, we’ve spotted it dusted over cocktail glasses, French toast and sprinkled on fried eggs. Nadiya Hussain serves it tossed with chips in Nadiya’s Family Favourites cookbook. Try it here in an easy retro canapé with a hint of wasabi and pickled ginger. Furikake devilled eggs MAKES 12 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V 6 large eggs…

Pili nuts taste like a cross between a macadamia and a cashew, but are much creamier, light and delicately crunchy, with a buttery taste. In the Filipino rainforests, where they grow on huge trees in the shadow of the mighty Mount Mayon volcano, locals eat them as a deep-fried snack tossed in sugar. Now they’re available in the UK thanks to a Fairtrade collaboration between the Mount Mayon brand and farmers and experts from the University of the Philippines. The nuts are wild-harvested and then pre-sprouted in purified mountain water before undergoing a 17-stage drying process. They’re naturally high in protein and fibre, and free from gluten, trans-fats and cholesterol. For added oomph, Mount Mayon dusts its pili with seasonings including Himalayan pink salt, Ecuadorian cacao and Kyoto matcha. The…

MARY BERRY AND HESTON BLUMENTHAL Two British cooking superstars head up the BBC’s Christmas programming this month. Mary Berry returns to BBC One with her annual Christmas special, cooking dishes you should certainly try at home. And on BBC Two, Heston Blumenthal cooks an extraordinary nine-course meal, which maybe you shouldn’t! In Eat Your Years, original members of Heston’s 2001 kitchen brigade return to The Fat Duck to recreate a tasting menu of some of the restaurant’s famous dishes for high-profile guests. If you’re looking for gift ideas, tune into the Food Programme on Radio 4 on Sunday 8 December at 12.30pm when Sheila Dillon and guests review the pick of 2019 cookery books, or catch up on BBC Sounds. Kathryn Custance OPTIONAL EXTRAS All of these would make great…

What it is Panettone is a leavened sweet bread, made using a lievito madre (‘mother yeast’), similar to a sourdough starter. Invented in Milan in the 14th century, it wasn’t until the 1920s that baker Angelo Motto gave it its distinctive tall dome shape by proving the dough for longer and baking it in a mould lined with a ring of paper. How it’s made As well as the long proving times and use of a mould, there’s another step in the process that ensures the fluffy, domed top: once the panettone has baked, it’s immediately flipped and left to cool hanging upside down to prevent it collapsing in on itself. The law Since 2005, the traditional panettone recipe has been protected by law. This means that for it to…

Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (£22, Hardie Grant) December often means entertaining, and this book from New York Times food writer Alison Roman helps remove the stress of deciding what to cook, as it’s all about unfussy, crowd-pleasing dishes. There are snacks such as garlicky beetroot dip, mains like braised short ribs, flavourful sides and tempting desserts. Must-try recipe One-pot chicken with dates & caramelised lemon Quick & Delicious by Gordon Ramsay (£25, Hodder & Stoughton) Superstar chef Gordon is back, and he’s using his years help home cooks save time. Packed with 100 recipes ready in no time, this book takes weekday meals up a notch and makes hosting parties easier. Ingredients are accessible and dishes impressive, including roast hake with saffron mayonnaise and lamb with cannellini beans. Must-try…

Roasted carrot & turmeric soup SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V * 60ml extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin 6 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges 1 litre good-quality vegetable stock 70g tahini, plus extra to serve 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and lightly crushed handful of coriander leaves and thick yogurt, to serve ■ Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. Put the oil, turmeric, cumin and some seasoning in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the carrot and onion and toss to combine. Divide between the two trays or one large and roast for 25 mins or until golden and just…

Slow cooker turkey pho Pho broth is traditionally made using beef bones and finely sliced steak, but ours uses turkey to make use of Christmas leftovers. Finely shredded carrots, mooli or sprouts would be great in this soup, too. You’ll make more stock than you need, so freeze it for another day. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 8-10 hrs EASY * stock only For the stock 50g ginger, thickly sliced 2 onions, halved 3 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds 2 cloves 1 turkey or chicken carcass, all meat removed 2-3 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp sugar For the pho 200g flat rice noodles 400g cooked and sliced turkey or chicken 100g beansprouts, blanched, or shredded carrots, mooli or sprouts handful of Thai basil, mint and…

PARTY TIME Get the kids involved It’s the season for entertaining, but if you already have your hands full with the kids, it can feel a little daunting to invite others into your home. Try involving the younger members of your family in the party preparations – it can be a great way to encourage them into the kitchen and make them feel included in the celebrations. Helping hands Have a think about the type of party you’re throwing and choose a few easy dishes for the kids to help prepare. For a buffet, nibbles made with shop-bought puff pastry, such as sausage rolls and cheese twists, are a quick solution. If you’re hosting a formal meal, little ones can help wash veg or weigh out items. Make the menus…

Smoky veggie nachos SERVES 6 PREP 25 mins plus cooling COOK 15 mins EASY V 7 soft corn tortillas 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, plus extra to serve 2 red peppers, halved and deseeded 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed ½ bunch of parsley, very finely chopped 50g fat-free yogurt 1 jalapeño, finely sliced For the salsa 4 spring onions, finely sliced 4 medium tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped 1 small avocado, peeled, stoned and chopped ½ small bunch of coriander, finely chopped 1 small garlic clove, finely grated 1 lime, zested and juiced 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Cut each of the tortillas into 8-10 triangles and spread over two large baking sheets. Drizzle with the…

Everyone loves a cheeseboard, so why not serve one with your own cheese? It’s been a dream of mine for years – I’m a cheese obsessive. Milk runs through my veins, curds are in my soul and my jokes are whey too cheesy. I have the privilege of being a judge for the British Cheese Awards and I eat the stuff every day. It’s the passion that defines my food life, but I’ve never made my own. There are many reasons for this: lack of space, equipment and know-how, plus, there is no shortage of cheesemakers who do it so well that I’ve never felt the need to toil over a homemade one that won’t compare. But it’s high time I changed that, because, far from being something only experts…

THE HARD Lincolnshire poacher With non-typical bio-cultures and a 24-month maturation period, this cheese hides a sweet-savoury flavour inside what looks like an old-fashioned cheddar. THE BLUE Cashel blue A soft-rinded, sweet and spicy cheese made by Jane and Louis Grubb in Fethard, Ireland. At its creamy best it will spread over crackers like pâté, and it has mineral, hot and grassy notes. THE SOFT Tunworth A Camembert-style cheese that is as good as a French one, but with a little extra creamy, meaty, buttery flavour for good measure. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Cheeses provided by paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk and barbers.co.uk…

Food halls are, suddenly, everywhere. Britain’s largest, the one-thousand-seat Market Hall West End, recently opened in London and inspired by other great examples (Altrincham Market House, Liverpool’s Duke Street Market, Sheffield’s Kommune), apply the model of communal dining where you choose from multiple independent kitchens. It’s a trend that’s set to surge in 2020. Every clued-up town wants a hip food hall. But are we ready to embrace bustling, ultra-casual eating? To share tables with (yikes!) strangers? Not always, I find. Here, then, are my 10 food hall rules. 1 Food halls are (usually) no-bookings venues. That is one way to keep prices low, by not employing staff to allocate tables. Some people, however, think themselves above the democratic, first-come, first-served nature of that beast. They commandeer tables by draping…

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 daily ).…

What is it? There are many varieties of hibiscus, but the most popular edible variety is hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as roselle or sorrel (in Jamaica). The dried petals and other dried parts of the plant are used as a flavouring in drinks, especially herbal teas and hibiscus water (also called agua fresca, try it at Mexican street-food chain Wahaca), but it’s increasingly been appearing in many more types of food and drink, from chutneys to sorbets, cocktails to chocolates. In fact, it was named ‘flavour of the year’ by fragrance and flavour company Firmenich. What does it taste like? Hibiscus tastes less floral than other edible flowers like rose and lavender. Instead, it has a fruity, tart flavour like cranberry. How should I use it? Dried hibiscus can be…

Mr Filbert’s indulgent black truffle & sea salt mixed nuts (190g), £3.95, Ocado Upgrade salted nuts for these at your next party. Flavoured with just enough truffle to provide an umami hit without being overpowering, these are a seriously addictive snack. The Drinks Bakery drinks biscuits Cheddar, chilli & almond (8 x 36g boxes), £15.60, Amazon These super-cheesy, savoury biscuits have been designed to pair with drinks, and go well with smoky whiskies, fruity beers and malbecstyle wines. Baking Agent mini mince pies (360g, pack of 12), £3.79, Ocado These bite-sized mince pies cook from frozen in just 15 minutes. Leave them to cool for 5 mins, then sprinkle with icing sugar and voila – perfect, warm pies.…

BREAD The consensus was that it must be white bread, so as not to distract from the fillings. It should be the best you can find, ideally as fresh as possible and in decent slices – roughly 1.5cm thick. SALAD This sandwich is a vision in beige, so a leaf of something green is welcome. Too much leafage will wash away all the umami layers, so keep it to just a single layer of mixed salad leaves. SERVE WITH Crisps, and if you have any left over, go all out and warm up some gravy for dipping. SAUCES • Mayonnaise • Cranberry sauce • Bread sauce Yes, all three. In addition to adding flavour and moisture, they are also strategically placed to ensure everything stays perfectly put. PIGS IN BLANKETS…

Speculoos The flavour of the month, quite literally. We’ve been bombarded with speculoos-flavoured goodies recently (and we’re not complaining!) including fudge, brittle (both fudgekitchen.co.uk), biscuits (see p13) and popcorn (joeandsephs.co.uk). Home mixology We’ve seen more cocktail-making tools, recipe guides and drinks coolers, trays and trolleys on sale this year than ever before, not to mention more booze! It’s never been easier to create your very own bar at home. See page 19 for cocktail recipes. Tea-flavoured chocolate We’ve noticed several chocolatiers flavouring their chocolates with tea, including Pierre Marcolini’s Autumn Collection; Willie’s Cacao matcha truffles and Charbonnel & Walker’s Earl Grey-inspired Afternoon Tea truffles. Boozy sweets Mulled wine candy cane anyone (hollyslollies. co.uk)? Or how about enjoying your espresso martini or pisco sours in the form of a hard-boiled sweet…

LIQUEUR Hotel Chocolat chocolat cream liqueur Combining its famous 70% dark chocolate with real cream and vodka, Hotel Chocolat has created a smooth, seriously chocolatey liqueur. This award-winning tipple is a bit like Irish cream liqueur but less sickly-sweet, and, of course, with a more rounded, melted chocolate flavour. It’s rich, so a little goes a long way, but it’s delicious sipped on its own, over ice or mixed into hot chocolate. 15% ABV, £25 (500ml), hotelchocolat.com BEER Island Street porter With hints of dark chocolate, coffee and cherry, this rich, velvety porter from Salcombe Brewery Co. reminds us of Black Forest gateau. Launched earlier this year, it’s already won several awards, including Champion Beer Award of the South West, by Taste of the West, beating over 1,000 entrants. 5.9%…

Baked salmon fillet with pickled cranberries, parsley & pistachios ‘Pickled cranberries are a great accompaniment as they really balance out an oily fish like salmon – they also add a real Christmassy feel. Adding spices and pistachios to the breadcrumbs gives the crust a punch of flavour that goes perfectly with the cranberries.’ Rick and Katie Toogood SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins plus at least 1 week pickling COOK 30 mins EASY For the pickled cranberries 300ml cider vinegar 300g caster sugar 340g fresh cranberries 1/2 tsp whole cloves 1/2 tsp juniper berries For the salmon 75g panko breadcrumbs 1/2 tbsp dried thyme 2 tbsp sumac 1 lemon, zested 5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1kg salmon fillet, pin-boned (you can ask your fishmonger to do this for…

the dilemma I need a make-ahead, hearty breakfast that will help a crowd recover from the festivities on New Year’s Eve. the solution This burrito brunch recipe is great for guests as everyone helps themselves. Make most of the elements the day before for easy assembling in the morning. After a late night celebrating with friends and family, you’ll need a hearty breakfast to kick-start the new year. A full English may be easy to prepare, but getting all the elements ready at the same time – especially for a crowd – can prove a little trickier. With a couple of make-ahead one-pots that are easy to reheat, we’ve made breakfast easier. You can even adapt the sausage filling to suit your tastes, omitting peppers or mushrooms if you fancy,…

“Over the past few years,we’ve embraced the bulbous brassica in creative ways” A couple of years ago, I was commissioned by a women’s lifestyle magazine to write a piece about the seemingly unstoppable rise of the cauliflower. The magazine did an elaborate shoot to accompany the article, with cauliflower as a very modern vegetable pin-up against a rainbow of pop-art backgrounds. ‘Cauliflower is having a moment’, was the decree, but I’ve loved it since I was a kid, going weak at the knees for cauliflower cheese. It’s fair to say, though, that over the past few years we’ve embraced the bulbous brassica in increasingly creative ways, and, due to the rise of plant-based diets, and thanks to inspiration from increasingly veg-focused chefs, we’ve really begun to unlock its potential. Its…

Hampton Court Palace Festive Fayre 6-8 December Meet food stars and watch live cooking demos. See hrpfoodfestivals.com for more. Christmas Eve 24 December For an impressive main to serve at your Christmas Eve gathering, try our baked side of salmon with pistachios on page 24. Boxing Day 26 December Diana Henry’s baked ham with marmalade (p98) is perfect for Boxing Day and beyond. New Year’s Eve 31 December Ring in the new year with all the family – we’ve got a brilliant menu (p65) that’s great for sharing and celebrating, and the kids are sure to love it too.…

HEALTH HACK Will a nightcap (or two) help me sleep better? We asked alcohol education charity Drinkaware (drinkaware. co.uk) for the facts on how drinking affects sleep habits. You might think that alcohol helps you nod off, but the truth is that even a couple of drinks can disrupt your sleep cycle, making you feel tired and sluggish. When you go to bed after drinking, you may fall into a deep sleep more quickly than usual, but over the course of the night you actually spend less time in deep sleep and more time in the REM (or rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, which is much less restful. This means you’re more likely to wake up feeling tired, even after a full night in bed. Alcohol also acts as…

Little beef & mushroom pies MAKES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 50 mins EASY * 30g dried porcini mushrooms, finely chopped 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 medium baking potatoes, cut into chunks (475g) 1 small celeriac, peeled and cut into large chunks (500g) ½ tsp ground white pepper 2 tsp rapeseed oil 2 large onions, halved and sliced 400g 5% lean beef mince 125g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved if large 2 tsp chopped sage 25g stilton, crumbled (optional) 320g spinach or chard 320g frozen peas 1 Tip the dried mushrooms, bouillon and vinegar into a bowl and pour over 400ml boiling water. Boil the potatoes and celeriac together for 18-20 mins until very tender, then drain and leave to steam-dry. Mash with the white pepper.…

Matcha & coconut trees MAKES about 35 PREP 25 mins plus chilling COOK 15 mins EASY V * biscuit dough only 50g desiccated coconut, plus extra to decorate 60g icing sugar 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 2 tsp matcha powder 125g cold butter, chopped 1 egg yolk 1 lime, zested and 1 tsp juice For the icing about 100g icing sugar about 3 tsp milk green food colouring (optional) You will need tree-shaped biscuit cutter 1 Finely grind the desiccated coconut with the icing sugar in a coffee grinder or food processor. Mix together the flour and matcha powder, then add to the coconut mixture. Add the remaining ingredients and a pinch of salt, and quickly knead everything to a smooth dough. Wrap and leave in the fridge…

Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, along with the BBC Good Food team, tasted his way through over 100 wines to choose our Wine Club selection. Henry writes about wine for The Guardian and The Spectator, and on his blog, worldofbooze.wordpress.com. He’s also a judge in the Best Drinks Producer category for the BBC Food and Farming Awards. His first book, Empire of Booze, is out now. Find Henry’s tasting notes, including food pairings, for all the selected wines at bbcgoodfood.com/wine-club. THIS MONTH’S FAVOURITE COMTE GUILLAUME MERLOT Wine type Languedoc Merlot Characteristics A menthol nose with plummy fuit and a smooth finish Goes well with Roast beef, shoulder of pork, sausages and mash Tastes similar to Red Bordeaux…

KNOW YOUR LIMITS Consider the size of your oven and the amount of pans you have. A large turkey or a rib of beef with all the trimmings is a lot to cook and, if you don’t normally host dinner for lots of people, your largest roasting tin or your oven may not be big enough. MENU PLAN FOR YOU Don’t feel pressure to use ingredients you’ve never tried or to make dishes because they’re on trend – experiment another time. Choose ingredients and flavour combinations that are tried and tested and which you also like. It’s more likely, if you enjoy certain dishes, that your guests will, too. NON-FOOD CHECKLIST chilled drinks ice music playlist a place for coats bottle openers and corkscrews clean cloths to mop up spillages…

1 Veggie shepherd’s pie Tip any leftover veggie bolognese from p43 into a pie dish and top with mash (use a mix of sweet potato and potato), then dot with butter and bake for 30 mins until the mash is golden. 2 Roasted cauliflower tagine Cut any leftover harissa cauliflower (p56) into small pieces and reheat with the chickpeas and sauce, adding veg stock if needed. Serve on couscous with leftover tahini yoghurt, extra harissa and coriander. 3 Bubble & squeak pasta bake Mix any cold leftover sprout pasta (p81) with extra crème fraîche and some grated cheddar (or other cheese). Put in a dish, scatter over more cheese and bake for 20 mins or until golden. 4 Turkey cobb club Chop any leftover eggs from…

1 The most simple but impressive dish has to be roast chicken. I use Sutton Hoo chickens – they’re raised slowly and you can really taste the difference – but any organic, free-range chicken will do. I stuff mine with lemon and thyme, then put baby Charlotte potatoes in the tray to cook in the chicken juices. 2 I would recommend getting a stick blender. Youcando so much with it! With a standard one, you need to have a large amount of whatever you want to blend which isn’t always practical, especially in the home kitchen. I use a hand blender for quickly puréeing soups, making pesto and chopping and blending herbs and spices. 3 I use artisan English butter instead of the run-of-the-mill kind you get in shops. The…

Writer and art director of my favourite cookery books, columnist and author of the brilliant autobiography Toast, with several BBC cooking shows under his belt, actual Nigel Slater hung out in my kitchen where I had prepared some of his winter comfort food. Emma I’ve never read anybody who describes food more beautifully or writes about it with more passion than you. What is it that comes alive when you put a beautiful dish in front of somebody? Nigel It feels like I’m giving them a gift, but not like giving a book that someone will read and then put aside. It goes in; it’s like giving something that’s going to become part of someone. And I love feeding people. E You’re feeding people in every sense of the word,…

Ever since the clocks went back, my diet has adapted accordingly. The transition began inexorably when breakfast bowls of muesli with berries and nuts started to feel chilly and unappealing, so I moved onto hot, salty porridge topped with cream and full-fat milk. Now I’m relishing eggs, bacon, black pudding, kippers, the occasional cooked breakfast, or filling kedgeree, stiff with flakes of appetite-whetting smoked haddock. I’m in the mood for filling soups made from meat bones, and sticky stews – oxtail, Lancashire hotpot – maybe a lamb curry, or some slow-roast belly pork. It’s rich, hearty dishes like this that will sustain and cheer me and my nearest and dearest through cold midwinter days. The common thread here is a seasonal shift to a wintry eating pattern that’s centred on…

star letter In response to Tony Naylor’s Christmas column, I feel he is missing the point. While I agree that retailers have included the holiday and its flavours in an absurd number of foods (Christmas tree-flavoured crisps spring to mind), I think he may be overlooking the pleasure derived from the scent of a steaming Christmas pudding, or the feeling of comfort you get when qua ing that first glass of mulled wine at a Christmas market. As consumers, we should not be surprised by the lengths companies will go to part us from our money, but no one is forcing us to buy! The traditional ‘stodgy’ foods Tony turns his nose up at are institutions – they are smells and tastes with which everyone is familiar. We revel in…