Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Good Food

This month, we’ve given the magazine a smart, spend-less spin, showcasing our tempting cover star blondies (p20), lemon drizzle sponge (p26) and toffee banana bread (p28) as well as other budget-friendly bakes that cost less to make than a takeaway coffee (but are no less special for it). If you’re congratulating yourself for achieving an alcohol-free January, Victoria Moore’s advice on buying better wine for fewer £££s is timely, and she gives the clearest explanation I’ve ever read about getting the best booze for your buck (p127). Similarly, Tom Kerridge uses cheaper cuts, such as pork belly and brisket, to create astoundingly good Sunday roasts (p82). Plus, our genius midweek meals – for no more than £3.50 per person – prove that you can rein in costs without sacrificing one…

Donald Russell Scottish smoked salmon with malt whisky (100g), £6.75, donaldrussell.com Preparing a special Valentine’s Day breakfast or looking for a savoury pancake topping? We love this lightly smoked, meaty salmon. Wyke Farms deep fill mature cheddar cheese & onion pies baked by Holland’s Pies (430g), £2.25, Asda A favourite with our magazines editor and his family, these crumbly shortcrust pastry pies are filled with two types of cheese for a creamy, tangy taste. Belazu aged malt vinegar (500ml), £11.95, belazu.com This tastes like a cross between malt and balsamic vinegar. Use in dressings, sauces and ragus, or as an alternative to black vinegar in Asian cooking. Mr Trotter’s Skinny Dips (60g), £1.30, mrtrotters.com These super-crunchy pork scratchings didn’t last long…

Flippin’ good start Food historians generally agree that the earliest pancake-like dish was made by the Romans. Called the ‘alita dolcia’ (Latin for ‘another sweet’), it was made from milk, flour, eggs and spices and sold in markets. A sweet tradition The first pancake recipe, as we know it, appeared in an English cookbook in the 15th century. It’s believed that the tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday dates back to the 16th century. Stacking up In Britain, we use an estimated 52 million eggs and eat around 117 million pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.…

The host has changed, and the chefs who were made famous on it – including Brian Turner, Phil Vickery, Gino D’Acampo and James Martin – have moved on, but diehard Ready Steady Cook fans won’t be disappointed with its newest iteration. As in the original series hosted by Fern Britton from 1994 – then Ainsley Harriott until 2010 – two contestants, both paired with chefs, will go head-to-head to cook dishes from a random bag of budget ingredients in a short timeframe. And, yes, the audience will still choose their favourite by voting with those tomato and green pepper cards. Kathryn Custance A word with Rylan How do you feel about taking on such an iconic show? Fern and Ainsley are such tough acts to follow. I loved the original…

BEST HOME COOK It all draws to a close on 20 February when, after two rounds set by Chris Bavin and Angela Hartnett, the final cooks compete to make Mary Berry’s ultimate three-course dinner menu. Watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer and find a sneak peek at Chris Bavin’s new book, Fakeaway, on page 96. MASTERCHEF John Torode and Gregg Wallace return this month for the 16th series of the amateur cooking competition. This year’s heats will have a refreshed format, with contestants battling to earn a MasterChef apron, and a new ingredients challenge. Watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.…

Fitzbillies by Tim Hayward and Alison Wright (£20, Quadrille Publishing) The 100-year-old bakery Fitzbillies is an institution in Cambridge, famed for its sticky Chelsea buns and ‘proper’ afternoon teas (they don’t believe in tiny cakes and sandwiches). There s something for all skill levels in this book – start with simple traybakes, scones and muffins and work your way up to four-tier cakes and choux buns. Must-try recipe White chocolate & raspberry blondies 30 Ways to Join the Sustainable Food Revolution by Ollie Hunter (£14.99, Pavilion Books) Focused on zero-waste eating, this book is packed with tips for living a greener lifestyle, like how to cut out buying plastic and eating better-quality meat. A MasterChef semi-finalist and owner of the UK’s most sustainable pub, Ollie has…

Prawn & harissa spaghetti SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 15 mins EASY 100g long stem broccoli, cut into thirds 180g dried spaghetti 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large garlic clove, lightly bashed 150g cherry tomatoes, halved 150g raw king prawns 1 heaped tbsp rose harissa paste 1 lemon, finely zested ■ Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli and boil for 1 min 30 secs, or until tender. Drain and set aside. Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a ladleful of cooking water. ■ Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic clove and fry over a low heat for 2 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard, leaving the flavoured oil. Add the tomatoes to…

Chorizo & mozzarella gnocchi bake SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins EASY 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 120g chorizo, diced 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 1 tsp caster sugar 600g fresh gnocchi 125g mozzarella ball, cut into chunks small bunch of basil, torn green salad, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 8-10 mins until soft. Add the chorizo and fry for 5 mins more. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and season. Bring to a simmer, then add the gnocchi and cook for 8 mins, stirring often, until soft. Heat the grill to high. 2 Stir3/4 of the mozzarella and most of the basil through the…

Alpine fries SERVES 4 as a side PREP 5 mins COOK 22 mins EASY Cook 300g frozen French fries following pack instructions, then put in a heatproof dish and top with 120g sliced raclette cheese and 100g torn smoked ham. Heat the grill to medium, then grill for 2-3 mins until melted and bubbling. Top with 2 tbsp sliced pickled cornichons and season. GOOD TO KNOW calcium PER SERVING 281 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 6g • carbs 22g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 13g • salt 1.5g Greek loaded fries SERVES 4 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V Toss 400g frozen French fries with 1 tsp dried oregano and 2 tsp olive oil. Cook following pack instructions. Meanwhile, mix1/ 4…

First, make the pancake batter Easy pancakes, two ways This basic pancake mix can be used to make sweet or savoury pancakes, with enough for main course and dessert for a family of four. Rest the batter for at least 30 mins before cooking. MAKES 8 large pancakes PREP 5 mins plus resting COOK 20 mins EASY V 175g plain flour 3 large eggs 450ml milk sunflower oil, for frying 1 Weigh the flour in a large jug or bowl. Crack in the eggs, add half the milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk to a smooth, thick batter. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Set aside for at least 30 mins. Will keep in the fridge for up to one day. 2 Heat a large non-stick crêpe pan…

Spinach & tuna pancakes SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins EASY 2 tsp rapeseed oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 250g baby spinach 1 tbsp tomato purée 120g can tuna steak in spring water, drained 200g cottage cheese 2 large eggs 4 tbsp plain wholemeal flour For the salad 200g can sweetcorn (no added salt or sugar), rinsed and drained 1 small red onion, finely chopped 85g cherry tomatoes, quartered 10 basil leaves, chopped 4 pitted Kalamata olives, sliced 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 Mix all the ingredients for the salad and set aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the garlic briefly. Stir in the spinach to wilt, then mix in the tomato purée, tuna and cottage cheese. Set aside. 2 Beat the…

Steak is the perfect Valentine’s dinner (for me, at least), but great-quality, high-welfare steak, as we all know, isn’t cheap. So what’s a romantic, albeit skint, husband to do? Enter The Quality Chop House cookbook. The Farringdon-based restaurant of the same name is legendary with the foodie fraternity. Indeed, Marina O’Loughlin – Good Food’s former restaurant critic who now writes for the Sunday Times – says, in her foreword for the book, that she’d, ‘happily eat here on a weekly basis’, adding, ‘This is one of those incredibly rare restaurants that simply gets everything right: setting, food, service.’ But rather than being a complicated, restaurant-style cookbook, co-owners Will and Dan and head chef Shaun have set out to create recipes that are achievable for us home cooks. They say, ‘We’ve…

It’s increasingly popular, especially for Valentine’s Day, to have one really good cheese rather than a cheeseboard, says expert Charlie Turnbull from the Academy of Cheese. Coeur de Neufchatel It’s said that this Normandy camembert is heart-shaped as it was created for local maidens to woo the hearts of passing gallant knights during the 100 Years’ War. It’s perfectly paired with calvados or loire red wines. Brie Aux Truffes The brie is opened up like a sandwich and the truffles are layered on with mascarpone, which holds and distributes the flavour. The truffles sit very well in the buttery cheese, emphasising its woodland flavours. Match with something rich, like a barolo. Eve Eve is a goat’s milk cheese washed in Somerset cider and wrapped in vine leaves, giving it a…

1 WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO MEASURE INGREDIENTS FOR A COCKTAIL? I would use a jigger (also called a cocktail measure) – a small, metal, double-ended shot glass. You can buy them for a reasonable price online. Alternatively, you can use a shot glass, but they’re not as accurate. For larger quantities, use a measuring jug. 2 HOW MUCH IS A STANDARD ‘MEASURE’? That is 25-35ml. Generally, this is a single shot. I would always use 25ml, as this is the volume of shot glass that most people will have at home. 3 WHY ARE MEASURES IMPORTANT? Measures allow for consistency, especially if you are intending to make more than one of the same drink, or if someone else is making the same drink alongside you. By…

1 The most important piece of equipment in the kitchen is a really good, sharp knife. Ideally, you’ll have a set of various knives for different jobs of the best quality you can afford. You need to choose knives with a weight and balance that suits you, so handle them before buying and make sure they’re comfortable. Knives should be kept sharp – accidents happen when they aren’t! 2 To take your dishes to the next level, use these ingredients. Really good olive oil for finishing and dressing dishes (it’s worth paying a little more to get the best flavour). Cornish sea salt for finishing dishes – it really does make a difference and tastes different to ordinary table salt. Raw cider vinegar used as a seasoning to bring the…

How much is too much to spend on a bottle of wine? For one in three people, the answer is even a penny more than £5, according to the consumer research group Kantar. Responses to this news mostly fall into two camps. s HORROR end and there’s the VINDICATED from all those who feel they might be treated like a pariah if they dare to admit that this is all they pay. And me? I wasn’t all that surprised. Among those £5 drinkers will be those who can’t afford to spend more, those who could afford to spend more but who aren’t calibrated to be sensitive to taste (these same people might wince if they came round to my flat and heard me playing music out of a tiny, cheap…

Using Japanese techniques with an Australian attitude, pop-up restaurant Pacific, currently in residence in London’s Mayfair, is a joy. Aussie chef Shaun Presland’s menu is built on playful versions of Japanese classics like teriyaki, as well as a smattering of more modern dishes, such as his kimchi Brussels sprouts (p141). Presland honed his skills in the kitchens of renowned Asian restaurants and served as executive chef for the Saké Restaurant & Bar brand – Australia’s biggest Japanese restaurant group – so this is the real deal. The ingredients are beautifully sourced; we loved the miso toothfish and seabass sashimi with white soy dressing, plus there’s an Australian wine list and plenty of chilled sake to enjoy in cosy, sheepskin-lined chairs that offer a full view of the kitchen. pacificlondon.co.uk Coffee…

star letter I’d like to respond to Joanna Blythman’s column ‘Plant-based diets don’t work in winter’ (Dec). A study published in Global Food Security in 2018 found that a more plant-based diet was still better for the environment than a locally sourced one containing meat and dairy. As a 25-year-old whose future is becoming increasingly dim due to the climate crisis, I would have appreciated this being communicated in Joanna’s column. Keep up the vegetarian/vegan recipes in Good Food! Hannah Tolley, Cambridge Hannah wins 12 bottles of Casa de Vila Verde (£9.99, bbcgoodfoodwineclub.com). Fresh and light, this is a supreme example of Vinho Verde. The estate dates back to medieval times, but its wines are modern, dazzling and crisp. A small vintage makes this wine even tastier, with lemony fruit…

NOW WE’RE EATING Chefs and home cooks alike are embracing this age-old, traditional recipe by adding new twists Filling a crisp pastry tart with creamy rice pudding may seem like an unusual idea, but it’s actually a traditional dessert in many countries around the world, and has been for centuries. Italy’s version is made with arborio rice and often laced with vin santo, while in Poland you’ll find a rich version made with cream cheese. We’ve been seeing these tarts pop up on menus and in cookbooks recently, and renowned pastry chef Dominique Ansel even featured a particularly delicious version on his summer menu, with buttery pastry and a generous slick of raspberry jam. Our take includes lemon zest (which is a staple feature in a rice pudding tart) as…

Jackfruit reimagined We touted jackfruit as a trend back in 2018, but now, it’s being used in much more inventive ways than just as a pulled pork substitute. From jackfruit biryani to pies, tacos and spring rolls, it’s popping up everywhere – it’s even been named taste of the year 2020 by Tastecard. Grow your own microgreens Pinterest recently reported that searches for ‘microgreen growing indoor’ are up 223% – and if you want to try it, it’s never been easier to grow your own greens. There are plenty of kits online, plus subscriptions (sillygreens.com). Loaded fries As if fries weren’t already popular enough, we’ve spotted loaded ones (topped with sauces, cheeses, meats and more) on a number of restaurant menus and recipe sites lately. Turn to page 48 for…

Ellis Barrie Former champion on The Great British Menu, runs award-winning, family-owned restaurant The Marram Grass in Anglesey. Michael Reid Worked with the likes of Michel Roux Jr and Gordon Ramsay, and now has restaurants in Melbourne and London. Romy Gill Gloucestershire-based chef, food and travel writer who combines classic British cooking with authentic Indian flavours. See her vegetable pulao recipe, right. Akis Petretzikis The first winner of Greece’s MasterChef and former host of the Greek version of Ready Steady Cook. Loves a challenge! Anna Haugh First head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s London House restaurant, and now has her own restaurant, Myrtle, in Chelsea.…

Healthy magazine Kick-start 2020 with Good Food’s Healthy, packed with 90 simple, nutritional recipes and advice to help you feel good. On sale now, £4.99. 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. 18-21 June, Birmingham NEC See some of the UK’s top chefs, including Mary Berry, Nadiya Hussain and Michel Roux Jr cooking live. See p68 for details.…

Take the hassle out of cooking using this set of two pans with removable handles from Cooks Professional. The Bakelite handle is heat-resistant so it will stay cool to touch. It is easy to attach to the pans and lift whatever you may have cooking, and it also means that you can transfer the pan from the hob to the oven without oven gloves. They are dishwasher-safe and suitable for use in the oven (up to 180C) and on all hob types including electric, gas, ceramic, glass, halogen and induction. Exclusive price – save £5, order now for just £24.99 (was £29.99) plus £4.95 p&p HOW TO ORDER Call 0844 493 5654 quoting 98093 or visit clifford-james.co.uk/98093.…

the dilemma I find it tricky to scale up recipes when I’m serving a crowd, and I often don’t know how many guests I’ll have until the last minute. the solution A recipe with rounded quantities, like this fish pie, can easily be scaled up or down as needed. Double up the ingredients to feed four, or quadruple everything to feed eight. You can even make individual portions and freeze them for dinner in a pinch when you’re unsure of guest numbers. Some recipes are easier to scale up than others – steaks or sausages and mash, for example – especially those that you can mentally divide between plates as you’re preparing them. But dishes that are served up at the table are trickier, as it can be difficult to…

“Their softness means they’re begging to be paired with something crunchy” Roasting whole leeks directly on the shelf of a hot oven is my new jam, and it should be yours, too – especially now, when we can take our pick of the season. Give them a clean first (make sure you get between the layers to get the grit out), then coat them in a little oil (rapeseed is best), season with sea salt and put them in the oven. In about 20 minutes, your house will be filled with the warming scent of roasted leeks, and, once you’ve peeled away the fibrous outer layers, you’re left with the most deliciously sweet and buttery leek insides to do with what you like. Chop and toss them through a pan…

• Sow seeds for many of the year’s crops. This is the time to start tomatoes you’re going to grow in a greenhouse, while Brussels sprouts, summer cabbages, onions, peas and spinach can be sown under cover now. • Cage your crops to keep them safe from hungry wood pigeons. They will devastate cabbage and kale beds in cold weather. • Plant fruit trees and bushes. • Mulch beds with well-rotted compost or manure to prepare them for spring sowing and planting. 18-21 June 2020 Visit the Show and get free entry to BBC Gardeners’ World Live. See p68 for more details.…

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS Getting the right balance for the family during half-term is essential – you’ll want to get the kids outside as much as possible to burn off some energy and stay active, but a day or two of rain in February is to be expected. Pick and mix your week with these fun and budget-friendly ideas, including easy swaps for when the weather takes an unexpected turn. Rainy day ideas 1 Kitchen time Encouraging kids to cook simple recipes with you can help develop their understanding of food. You can find child-friendly recipes at bbcgoodfood.com/ kids-cooking. 2 Indoor picnic Don’t let the rain spoil your picnic – it’s just as fun to roll out the blanket in the living room and pretend you’re outside! 3…

Presenter and greengrocer Chris Bavin will return later this year with a new series of Eat Well for Less on BBC One. Catch him on the judging panel of Best Home Cook on BBC One on Wednesdays at 8pm until 20 February and on BBC iPlayer. @Chris_Bavin @Chris.Bavin Sweet & sour pork From the takeaway, this always seems to be a brightly coloured, gluey mess. There is nothing fresh about it. Making your own takes less time than ordering and driving to the takeaway to pick it up, and it tastes amazing. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY 1 tbsp cornflour 425g can pineapple chunks in juice, drained and juice reserved 2 garlic cloves, sliced 3cm piece of ginger, grated 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp light…

TOP TIPS THE BASICS Here’s our basic foolproof formula for roasting a whole chicken. It doesn’t matter how it’s seasoned – a chicken that’s about 1.5kg and roasted, undisturbed, in an oven at 190C/170C fan/gas 5 for 1 hr 20 mins will be beautifully golden and cooked through. Use this as your base and then experiment with flavours. A GOOD REST Resting your chicken (or any large piece of roast meat) for at least 20 mins is an absolute must – anything up to 40 mins and the chicken will remain warm. A well rested chicken will be easier to carve and the meat will be more tender and succulent. Make sure you rest the chicken on something that will catch its resting juices and you’ll have a ready-made chicken…

1 Lamb & bean tagine Shred any leftover lamb from p86 and stir it into any leftover beans with harissa paste and some ground cumin. Add a splash more stock if needed and some dried apricots. Reheat gently. Sprinkle with pomegranates and chopped coriander, then serve with couscous. 2 Papa ranchera  Fry a chopped onion in olive oil until soft, then add a chopped chilli and any leftover Cajun potatoes from p36. Cook until warmed through, then add some chopped fresh tomatoes and coriander, if you have any. 3 Chicken satay fried rice Shred any leftover chicken from the satay chicken rice bowl on p33. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add any leftover rice, sauce and extra soy, then stir-fry with a handful of frozen…

ROASTIES DON’T use baking potatoes Avoid big, washed baking potatoes. They contain so much water, they’re rubbish at becoming crispy. DON’T cook in duck or goose fat or olive oil Plain vegetable oil is best. Why add another flavour to something that’s already amazing? DO cook the potatoes gently For around 40 mins (refer to the second point on mash, see right), then leave them to cool on a rack. DON’T shake the potatoes in the pan That thing where you put the lid on, pass the water off and shake the pan? Don’t do that! Gently lift them out, transfer to a rack and leave to one side to cool. DON’T crowd your roasties in a tin Overcrowding your potatoes creates steam, which makes it harder to get them…

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 ROC SAINT CONSTANT AOC MINERVOIS Wine type Languedoc red Characteristics Rosemary, blackberries, leathery tannins Goes well with Beef cheeks, ratatouille, shoulder of lamb, merguez sausages Tastes similar to Côtes du Rhône TRY IT WITH Spanish-style slow-cooked lamb shoulder & beans , p86 A wine for every dish Ever…

Like toast crumbs in bedding or jam stains on pillow cases, the halo of glamour that surrounds breakfast in bed is difficult to shift. It speaks to our dreams of luxury, of Hollywood stars in black-and-white films, Downton Abbey and a parallel universe where every morning a butler arrives at your bedside with freshly pressed juice, a neatly ironed newspaper, smoked salmon and eggs. ‘Yes,’ you think, while hurtling around half-eating a banana at 7.43am on a wintry Tuesday morning, ‘I could get used to that.’ But could you? Really? With Valentine’s Day approaching, it is time to face facts. Like many of the things you fantasise about enjoying in bed (role play, light bondage, licking chocolate spread off Tom Hardy), eating breakfast is better in theory than reality: more…

3 quick trips Half-term holidays How to embrace the great outdoors with the kids in tow, p132 the big break Nashville Where to eat, drink and dance in the Country Music Capital (p130). insider Bristol Our top 10 list of the city’s bars and restaurants (p136). eat out or eat in Pacific Cook Japanese dishes from this Mayfair-based restaurant (p138).…

Cornwall: Headland Perfectly positioned on a clifftop overlooking Cornwall’s showstopping Fistral Beach, the imposing Headland Hotel is ideal for a spot of winter storm watching. It has cottages designated for this armchair-based adrenaline activity, while the ballroom has cosy fireplaces and picture windows from where you can watch Atlantic squalls roll in. If you like a bracing walk, step directly out of the hotel onto a sandy path leading to 250 miles of rugged north Cornish coastline. Meanwhile, inside the hotel, it’s just as atmospheric. You’ll soon see why this Victorian pile was chosen as the location to film an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches; think sweeping staircases, grand libraries, ballrooms and fireplaces so enormous you could step inside. Despite all this old-English elegance, there’s a modern heart to…

Caramelised banana & chocolate galette SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins plus chilling COOK 30 mins EASY V 70g hazelnuts, roughly chopped 150g dark chocolate, finely chopped 500g block shop-bought puff pastry 3 bananas, sliced 3 tbsp light brown soft sugar vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Blitz 50g of the hazelnuts in a small food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs, then tip into a bowl with the chocolate. 2 Roll the pastry out to a round roughly 30cm in diameter on a sheet of baking parchment. Scatter the chocolate and hazelnut mixture over the pastry circle, leaving a 5cm border. Top with the bananas and most of the remaining hazelnuts, then fold the edges of the pastry over. Transfer the…

What are they? Sometimes known as black peas, grey peas, maple peas or black badgers, carlin peas are small, hard, dark brown peas. They’ve been grown and eaten here since the 1600s and are popular in the north of England, particularly Lancashire, where they’re served as parched peas – cooked down and seasoned with vinegar and salt – on Bonfire Night. What do they taste like? When cooked, carlin peas have a firm texture and thick skin, with a slightly nutty flavour – they’re a little like a cross between chickpeas and puy lentils. How should I cook them? Dried carlin peas need to be soaked (preferably overnight), then cooked in boiling water for around 40 mins until tender. But, like most pulses, you can also buy canned, precooked carlin…

What the Fudge treacle toffee fudge This really does tick all the boxes for great fudge – creamy, crumbly and great value! £3 for 120g, whatthefudgeshop.co.uk Cocoa May brownies No time to make brownies? These seriously squidgy ones are handmade in Suffolk and make a great gift. £13.50 for eight, cocoamay.com PlayIn Choc JustChoc boxes Vegans don’t need to miss out on Valentine’s Day chocolate! We love these silky, dairy-free chocolate pieces embossed with little hearts. Available in milk and dark chocolate. £5.95, playinchoc.com…

OXO Good Grips balloon whisk We’ve tried plenty of manual whisks, but this is our favourite – an extremely comfortable, silicone handle and sturdy head means it’s great value. £8.26, Amazon Fiasconaro pistachio cream This velvety smooth, sweet pistachio paste is seriously delicious – try spreading it on pancakes, then sprinkling over chopped pistachios and some raspberries for something really special. £8.50 (180g), souschef.co.uk Waitrose Home lemon squeezer We’re yet to find an easier way to juice lemons than a ‘Mexican elbow’-style squeezer like this. Ideal for a drizzle of fresh lemon. £8, Waitrose & Partners Squeezy table sauce bottles Fancy trying your hand at some pancake art? Use one of these squeezy bottles to create shapes with the batter in a frying pan. If the nozzle feels too small,…

Vegetable pulao This is a meal on its own. Mum used to make pulao with leftover vegetables, so it’s great for using odd bits left in your fridge. We have a simple salad of onions, lime slices, salt, green chillies and lauki (courgette) raita with this. SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V 300g basmati rice 5 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 green cardamom pods 3cm piece of cinnamon stick 6 black peppercorns 10g fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2-3 green chillies, deseeded and chopped 1 tsp ground turmeric 100g carrots, sliced into 3cm pieces 50g runner beans, sliced into 3cm chunks 100g small cauliflower florets 1 tsp garam masala handful of fresh coriander,…

Rhubarb & custard blondies Blondies are brownies made with white chocolate instead of dark, and flavoured with vanilla instead of cocoa. Custard powder in the cake mix makes them extra fudgy and, if you don’t have rhubarb, you can use any jam or compote – swirl through ready-made raspberry jam, or a homemade pear and apple compote for a crumble-inspired blondie. SERVES 12 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 55 mins EASY V * 225g salted butter (or unsalted with a pinch of salt), plus extra for the tin 200g light brown soft sugar 100g caster sugar 150g plain flour 50g custard powder ½ tsp baking powder 3 medium eggs 250g white chocolate chips or white chocolate finely chopped 2 tsp vanilla extract For the rhubarb & custard swirl 200g…

Having earned Michelin stars at restaurants around the world and with a TV career stretching back over 20 years, Gordon Ramsay is one of Britain’s most renowned chefs. He has authored a number of books, including his latest, Quick and Delicious. @GordonRamsay @gordongram Pan-seared duck with pak choi & orange sauce Duck with orange is clearly a tried and tested combination, but adding soy sauce, honey and ginger gives it an Asian twist that freshens up the old French classic. SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 25 mins EASY 2 duck breasts, skin on 2 pak choi, halved 125ml orange juice 50ml soy sauce 1cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated 25g butter, cubed 25g runny honey 1/2 tbsp black and white sesame seeds cooked rice, to serve 1 Heat…

Slow cooker chicken chasseur SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 6 hrs 35 mins EASY * 2 tbsp olive oil 4 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in 2 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved 200ml white wine 1 tbsp tomato purée 200g chopped tomatoes 2 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 400ml hot chicken stock small handful of parsley, finely chopped, to serve mash, jackets, pasta or roast potatoes, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the slow cooker to low. Put the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken and fry, skin-side down, for 4-5 mins until crisp. Turn and fry for 3-4 mins more until golden all over. Put on a plate and set aside. 2 Tip the…

Leek & mushroom flatbreads with crème fraîche & chilli oil SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and tip in 150g sliced chestnut mushrooms, a good pinch of sea salt and a thyme sprig. Fry for a couple of mins until browned, then turn the heat down slightly and add a knob of salted butter, 1 sliced leek and 1 crushed garlic clove. Stir together, basting the leek in the butter, and cook for a few minutes until it has softened. Warm 2 shop-bought flatbreads on a baking sheet on the bottom of a low oven for 5 mins. Top them with a dollop of crème fraîche, pile on the mushrooms and leeks, and…

British Yorkshire Pudding Day 2 February Did you make our January cover recipe for toad in the hole? Find it at bbcgoodfood.com. Valentine’s Day 14 February Discover great drinks ideas on page 110, plus Gordon Ramsay’s romantic menu on page 38 is bound to impress. Real Bread Week 22 February – 1 March If you’re keen to brush up on your baking skills, you can enroll on a sourdough course taught by our own Barney Desmazery. Sign up at bbcgoodfood.com/masterclasses. Fairtrade Fortnight 24 February – 8 March Bake sales and chocolate-tastings will be taking place in aid of cocoa farmers. Search ‘chocolate cake recipes’ at bbcgoodfood.com.…

HEALTH TREND Healthy porridge bowl Start your day right with this filling bowl of oats and fruit. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V 100g frozen raspberries 1 orange,1/2 sliced and1/2 juiced 150g porridge oats 100ml milk ½ banana, sliced 2 tbsp smooth almond butter 1 tbsp goji berries 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 Tip half the raspberries and all of the orange juice in a pan. Simmer until the raspberries soften, about 5 mins. 2 Meanwhile stir the oats, milk and 450ml water in a pan over a low heat until creamy. Top with the raspberry compote, remaining raspberries, orange slices, banana, almond butter, goji berries and chia seeds. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 2…

Creamy pesto & kale pasta SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 red onions, thinly sliced 300g kale 300g wholemeal pasta (penne or mafalda work well) 4 tbsp reduced-fat soft cheese 4 tbsp fresh pesto or vegetarian alternative 1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 10 mins until softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the kale and 100ml water, then cover and cook for 5 mins more, or until the kale has wilted. 2 Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the onion mixture, soft cheese and pesto, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season. GOOD…

1 Tip 200g caster sugar and 3 tbsp water into a heavy-based pan set over a low heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and is clear. Up the heat and cook until caramelised. 2 When the caramel has just reached a dark amber colour, remove it from the heat and dip the base of the pan in cold water to halt cooking. 3 Stir through the nuts, then tip onto a lightly buttered non-stick baking tray. Spread out in one layer and leave to cool. Be careful – the tray will be very hot. 4 Break the brittle into pieces. Smash it up with the end of a rolling pin or using a food processor – it should be the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.…

BEST VALUE NAME Russell Hobbs 24381 Inspire PRICE about £33 This budget-friendly toaster gets the job done for a good price. What it lacks in functions it makes up for in reliability. It produced some of the most evenly toasted bread of all the models we tested, plus it handles thicker sliced bread as well as the standard sliced loaf. Overall, we were impressed with its performance. THE MOST TECHY NAME Sage the Smart Toast BTA845 PRICE about £115 Although it’s expensive, using this toaster felt a little like making breakfast with a friendly robot. Created in collaboration with Heston Blumenthal, this clever toaster has various niche functions such as crumpet toasting. Everything is operated by buttons rather than levers. Sadly it lacks a warming option, but otherwise Sage has…

Pink lady Serve this fun, classic cocktail to someone you love. If you really want to impress, try making your own grenadine-style syrup (see tip, left). SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins EASY V 100ml London dry gin 4 tsp grenadine (see tip, left) ice 1 large egg white 2 strips of pared lemon zest and 2 maraschino cherries, to garnish (optional) 1 Put two coupe or cocktail glasses in the fridge to chill. Pour the gin and grenadine into a cocktail shaker, then fill with ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels ice-cold. Strain the mixture into a jug, discarding the ice. 2 Tip the egg white into the shaker and pour in the gin mixture. Shake well until the egg white is frothy – you can also…

Coco fizz A refreshing, tropical tipple. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins EASY V Put a coupe glass into the fridge. Pour 25ml coconut rum, 50ml coconut water and the juice of 1/ 2 lime into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Strain into the glass and top up with prosecco. Mulled gin Hot cocktails are very trendy, and not just for Christmas. SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 8 mins EASY V Divide 100ml gin between four small heatproof glasses. Tip 400ml apple juice into a saucepan with 1/ 2 sliced lemon, 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 juniper berries,1/ 2 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp runny honey. Heat until simmering, then strain…

HOW TO SHOP WELL SHOPPING LISTS Everyone knows that making shopping lists helps with budgeting – the advice is always that, if you stick to your list, you won’t be tempted to buy anything else. We’re not disputing this, but you should be careful not to default to items you always buy without seeing if similar items are on offer or more reasonably priced. This is especially important if you shop online and have ‘favourites’ logged in your account. Always check the price, as it will vary, and some ingredients – particularly fresh – can be priced according to things like the weather. BE LABEL-SAVVY Use-by or expiry dates appear on food for safety reasons. You can eat the item up to that date, but not after. ‘Best before’ dates,…

I am totally besotted with a new shop that’s opened nearby. It’s less than a year since it welcomed its first customers, yet it’s proved so popular that it’s already expanding into the premises next door. Does it sell cannabis oil and ice cream? Nope, it’s a refill shop and it has revolutionised my life. The amount of packaging I’m throwing out is a fraction of what it once was and to make matters even better, this emporium is saving me a serious amount of money and cupboard space. Here’s how it works: its charming proprietors have gravity dispensers mounted on the walls, the sort where you pull down a lever and food pours into your receptacle. It did take me a couple of times to get the hang of…

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…