Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2015 i Good Food

Shake off your regular routine this month, and discover new places to picnic, feast and forage. From coast to countryside and city rooftops, we’ve selected top spots around the UK to visit for a summer’s day out (p46). There’s no better time to chill out by the coast enjoying fresh seafood. Mat Follas, MasterChef winner and keen forager, shares his fish recipes on page 32 – I guarantee you’ll be inspired, not just by his food, but by his passion for the subject too. Back home, keep the cooking easy. Our seasonal recipes will help you use up that glut of tomatoes or courgettes (p24). If you need inspiration for next year’s crop, look no further than the heart-stoppingly gorgeous kitchen garden at Ballymaloe, created by legendary Irish cook and…

TAKE A COOKERY CLASS How to Create a Seasonal Menu, Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey (020 8940 5230, petershamnurseries.com ) Set in the idyllic glasshouses of Petersham Nurseries, this lunchtime cookery course is framed by foxgloves, wisteria and majestic ferns. Our group of nine gathered with a cup of tea around a banquet table piled high with produce from the surrounding gardens. The class starts with a tour of the herb and veg patch with head chef Damian Clisby. We identified some more unusual plants, such as borage (traditionally used in Pimm’s) and lovage, a celery-flavoured leaf, frequently used in Petersham’s soups. Back at the table, Damian explained how to prepare the veg. We started with a large artichoke each, peeling back the layers and hollowing…

Take a trip to the new towers of the city of London – the Shard, the Gherkin, the Cheesegrater – and cocktails are the order of the evening. Maybe TV’s Mad Men accounts for the popularity of cocktail hour, and certainly for the revival of the American classics: the Cosmopolitan, Negroni and, of course, Martini. Today’s cocktails are a far cry from the complex blending of sweet ingredients, decorated with a straw and a jungle of fruit and veg. A key factor of the democratic new world of cocktails has been the rise in artisan spirits, especially regional gins. If Sipsmith was the first brand to come to our notice, there has been a flood of UK-manufactured spirits since. Between excellent home-produced tonic and our own spirits, cocktails have turned…

At the age of 16, I was living in New Zealand and fending for myself – an apprenticeship at the local naval dockyards was my lifeline and my hobbies were anything that took me outdoors. I had a great interest in bush-walking and often spent several days alone in native bush land, crossing amazing peninsulas and national parks. I’d survive off dehydrated rations and anything I could find or catch along the way – seashore foraging for shellfish and crabs made for simple but delicious meals. As my income grew, I took up scuba diving and my foraging yielded treats from the sea: fish, lobster and scallops. I’d add seaweeds and kina (sea urchin) to my catch pot, and cook some truly amazing feasts. Fish, in my opinion, should be…

THE HANG FIRE SMOKEHOUSE Cardiff  hangfire smoke house.com After honing their craft on a long trip to the US, Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn set up an American smokehouse in Wales, which they now take to markets and festivals. They use local ingredients, including free-range pork from a farm in the Vale of Glamorgan, used to make their 21-hour Smoked pulled pork. WHAT THE DICKENS! London whatthedickens  food.com The business began in London’s Chatsworth Road market, serving old-time British breakfasts of devilled kidneys and kedgeree. Now part of London street food collective Kerb, it continues to revive time-honoured recipes at locations around the capital. BERTHA’S SOURDOUGH PIZZA Bristol berthas.co.uk Husband and wife Kate and Graham Faragher set up Bertha’s so they could leave London and find ‘a vocation, not a chore’. They…

Seaweed in the Kitchen by Fiona Bird (£12, Prospect Books) Based in the Hebrides, Fiona Bird is a mother of six and a past BBC MasterChef finalist. This is a fantastic guide to British seaweed – as well as recipes (such as Welsh laver bread and Cockle & bacon pie). Fiona explains how to identify varieties, the history of eating seaweed, its nutritional value and also looks at the seaweed farming industry. The Modern Preserver by Kylee Newton (£20, Square Peg) Kylee began Newton & Pott (her preserving business) selling her jars on a food stall at London’s Broadway Market. Her book is packed with intriguing flavour combinations (try the Carrot & citrus chutney), classic recipes, including passion fruit curd, and on-trend preserves such as kimchi.…

Dinas Farm in North Wales is a family-run dairy with 180 milking cows (dinasfarm.co.uk ; from £250 per week). Book into the farm’s self-catered farmhouse and get a flavour of life on the land. Farmer Rhian Williams explains: ‘Our guests really experience farm life – most people will even see a calving during their stay. Some will want to watch the milking as well. ‘However, the farmhouse is 100 metres from the working farmyard, so our guests can also totally remove themselves from our day-to-day activities if they wish.’ Lovesome Hill Farm B&B in North Yorkshire is a sheep and arable farm ( lovesomehillfarm.co.uk ; from £40 per person per night). Mary and John Pearson run a B&B from their working farm overlooking…

Meet our testers Rio, 11, and Charlie, seven, are the niece and nephew of our Canny Cook Cassie. They love experimenting in the kitchen. Rio’s favourite dish is spaghetti carbonara. Charlie loves anything that involves chocolate! Maisie, nine, and Jack, six, are our Senior food editor Barney’s children. They have been cooking from a young age and love pesto pasta and chilli con carne. Eva, eight, loves to cook at the weekends with her mum, Helen, a regular contributor to Good Food. Eva enjoys teriyaki salmon and fruit crumble. Can I have some more? Go to our wesbite to discover more great ideas that children will love, from simple bakes to healthy recipes: bbcgoodfood.com/ feature/family-and-kids Cooking with your kids Over the holidays, routine and order seem…

Scotch egg pie A Scotch egg is always popular, and this giant version looks spectacular. SERVES 8-10 PREP 40 mins plus chilling COOK 1 hr cornichons and salad, to serve (optional) FOR THE PASTRY 200g/7oz plain flour100g/4oz butter, cut into small cubes FOR THE FILLING 7 medium eggsgood handful parsley1 tbsp thyme leaves1.25kg/2lb 12oz good-qualitysausagemeat5 tbsp dried breadcrumbs (see below right)1 tbsp olive oil 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the flour and butter into a food processor and process to fine crumbs. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water and pulse until it forms a firm dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth ball. Roll out and line the base and sides of a 21-22cm deep flan tin or 20cm springform…

Beer-braised short ribs An impressive barbecue depends on planning and being adventurous – I like to think beyond burgers and sausages! My short ribs tick all the boxes. They can be cooked in the oven several days ahead, and if the weather lets you down, simply finish them off under the grill. SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins plus overnight marinating COOK 6 hrs 6 meaty beef short ribs (about 3kg/6lb 8oz), see my tips on p98 75ml/2 1 /2fl oz sunflower oil 3 onions, thickly sliced 450ml/16fl oz hoppy American-style craft lager (try Point Amber, available from ocado.com  , or Samuel Adams Boston lager, widely available) 700ml/1 1 /4pts good-quality chicken stock 140g/5oz black treacle small bunch thyme 50g/2oz burnt oak…

Greek lamb with smoked aubergine & minty broad beans Lean red meat, eaten in moderation, provides a good helping of iron and B vitamins as well as protein. SERVES 2 PREP 20 mins COOK 15-20 mins 1 aubergine zest and juice 1 /2 lemon, plus wedges to serve 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated 1 tsp fresh oregano or 1 /2 tsp dried 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 /2 tsp 2 lean lamb leg steaks, about 100g/4oz each, all visible fat removed 100g/4oz (podded weight) baby broad beans, fresh or frozen 2 tbsp Greek bio yogurt 2 tsp tahini 12 mint leaves, roughly torn 1 Turn on your hob’s largest gas flame and cook the aubergine directly over it for 7-8…

You’ll love this versatility of this 1300w multi-cooker. You can boil, steam, slow-cook, fry, sauté, grill, roast – there’s even a fondue setting. With a tempered glass lid and a grill rack, it also includes a spatula, a frying basket and six fondue forks. It’s easy to remove the non-stick, 5-litre bowl to clean it. The multi-cooker measures W32 x L32 x H22cm and comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty. Order code D8063. *Please add £3.95 to your order total for p&p Exclusive price for readers How to order Call 0844 493 5654** quoting 50618 or visit clifford-james.co.uk/50618 or send your contact details, address and the code and quantities of the item you wish to order, along with a cheque payable to BVG Airflo, to: Good Food Offer 50618, PO Box…

Why eat rice? Rice, the staple food of more than half the world’s population, is low in fat and high in starchy carbohydrate. It varies widely in nutritional value: brown (wholegrain) and wild rice contain significantly more fibre than white, and coloured rices (red and black) contain pigments with antioxidant properties. Rice cooked by the absorption method retains more nutrients than boiled. Rice is also a source of vitamin E, B vitamins and potassium. If you want to make the switch to the robust taste and texture of wholegrain, all it takes is an extra half-hour to cook. Stay healthy If serving rice cold, take care to cool it quickly (best done in a thin layer, say in a roasting tin or platter). Eating reheated rice warm can lead to…

Each month we talk to one of our Instagram followers about their cooking. Get involved at @bbcgoodfood and use #bbcgoodfood when you cook one of our recipes and post a photo. Silje Daber, 32, is an HR manager and mother of two young boys. She lives in Norway. Follow her at @siljedaber. When did you start posting? It was October 2014; initially it was lots of random photos, but I very quickly focused on food. What inspires you? I love good ideas for healthy and creative food for the kids, especially as mine can be a bit fussy. I also find inspiration for grown-up dinners for me and my husband, Ralph. Your most popular photos? My semi-healthy breakfasts in jars get a lot of likes, especially when the pictures are…

All the recipes in Good Food magazine are tested thoroughly before publication, so they’ll work first time for you at home. Most are developed in our Test Kitchen by our cookery team, with additional recipes from food writers, TV chefs or cookery books. However, no matter who writes the original recipe, each one is tested rigorously before being included in the magazine. Your time and money are precious, so we want to guarantee you a great result every time. Developing and testing Good Food recipes • We aim to make recipes practical, keeping ingredients lists to a minimum and avoiding lengthy preparation.• We help you to avoid waste by using full packs, cans and jars where possible. When it’s not possible, we try to include suggestions for leftovers.• We…

Kentucky Fried Chicken, which started as a small roadside shack in the 1920s, took fried chicken from the backwaters to practically every town in America. Each region now has its own signature presentation: the Southern coast favours gravy and biscuits on the side, while Texas and the middle South are partial to lashings of spicy hot sauce sprinkled over the crispy chicken. However, fried chicken isn’t just an American sensation. It’s a solid staple of Asian cuisine too – the Koreans roll it in a sweet gochujang chilli glaze, the Japanese dip it in ponzu and Thais drizzle it with fish sauce. It is universally adored for its tantalising combination of texture and taste. There are many ways to make fried chicken. Some consider brining (soaking in salted water overnight)…

What’s happened since MasterChef? I still find it weird to be recognised, but it’s nice. It was years ago, however it was when the show really took off – it captured the public’s imagination that year. Do you still see the other two finalists? Yes, Andy Oliver has got an amazing Thai restaurant in London, while Chris Gates is doing smoked barbecue food, plus he’s done a stint working with Jamie Oliver. So they’ve both achieved what they set out to do. Any advice for future contestants? Cook what you love. Don’t cook what you think the judges want to see. When I was on the show, I almost went out in the semi-final because I cooked what I thought they wanted. John Torode took me to one side and…

Coconut cherry berry fool You can easily turn this recipe into a frozen fool – layer the sauce, creamy mixture and fruit in an ice cream tub, scatter the macaroons over the top and freeze until solid. MAKES 4 PREP 20 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins 500g/1lb 2oz cherries, pitted 100ml/3 1 /2fl oz pomegranate or cherry juice (not ‘juice drink’) 100g/4oz golden caster sugar 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp brandy (optional) 4 x 125g pots coconut yogurt (we used Perle de Lait), cold 300ml pot double cream 4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 4 coconut macaroons, plus extra to serve (optional) 1 Put the cherries in a saucepan with the pomegranate or cherry juice and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 mins until the…

‘Five years ago, when I entered a new BBC TV show called The Great British Bake Off, I had no expectations. I was simply bored of my job in banking and hoped I might use it as a springboard to start a career in baking. Little did I know what effect that show would have on my life – and so many others. ‘Since winning that first series, I’ve written three cookbooks, worked on numerous TV shows and do lots of food styling for magazines. I have had some amazing opportunities, but the best thing for me is that my career is all about food and baking now – which is what I always wanted. ‘And I’m not alone – baking is ideal for a small business. Here are four…

Pastrami & sweet potato hash SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins 800g/1lb 12 oz sweet potatoes, peeledand cut into 1.5cm chunks2 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp smoked paprika1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced2 garlic cloves, finely chopped6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked4 slices pastrami, cut into strips4 eggs small pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp oil, the paprika and seasoning. Spread over a shallow roasting tin and cook in the oven for 30 mins. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion, garlic and thyme. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 15-20 mins until softened and starting to caramelise. Stir occasionally; if it starts…

What is tempeh? Like tofu, tempeh is a soya bean product. However, it is much higher in protein, fibre and vitamins, as it is created from whole cooked soya beans (whereas tofu is made from soya milk). Tempeh, which originated in Indonesia, is also fermented, making it more digestible. It has an earthy, nutty flavour and a firm, meaty texture, similar to mushrooms. Extremely versatile, tempeh can be grated, chopped or sliced, then steamed, baked or fried. I've found it tastes best when I marinate it, then fry it until crisp. Where to buy Choose organic tempeh to ensure that it is GM-free. Impulse tempeh (impulsefoods.co.uk) is available from planetorganic.com and other health-food stores, in the chilled section. It costs around £2.50 per pack. You can also buy tempeh in…

Itamar and Sarit met 10 years ago in a restaurant kitchen in Israel. They both went on to work for Yotam Ottolenghi in London – Itamar was head chef and Sarit was head of pastry, as well as being executive chef at Ottolenghi’s NOPI restaurant. Two years ago, they opened Honey & Co, a small Middle Eastern restaurant tucked away in London’s Fitzrovia, to great acclaim. Their first book, Honey & Co, was published last year and won numerous awards. ‘When we decided to open Honey & Co,’ says Sarit, ‘our original business plan didn’t contain a single cake. I told Itamar that I needed the place to be about chopping vegetables, roasting meats and grilling fish. ‘But when we first saw the premises, with its beautiful big front window,…

Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul The BBC chef and presenter takes a food journey through the Eastern Mediterranean in his latest series. Here he tells Helen Barker-Benfield about some of his discoveries. Tell us about your new series The whole Eastern Mediterranean was once part of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire. I wanted to show the general aura of the region and its links and connections. There’s often a light spice in seafood dishes in Venice, inspired by Turkey, for example. What was your most surprising discovery? How good the cooking in Venice still is. People are wrong to say it’s all touristy. It’s not. You do have to work at it, but that’s the wonderful thing about Italians – they never lose their sense of local food. Where do…

Mexican corn salad SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins NO COOK 2 x 340g cans salt-free sweetcorn, drained 1 red onion, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced 1/2 small pack coriander, roughly chopped juice 2 limes 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp clear honey Combine the sweetcorn, onion, tomatoes and coriander in a large bowl. Make the dressing by whisking the lime juice into the olive oil and add the honey. Season to taste and pour over the corn salad. Toss to coat everything before serving. PER SERVING (6) energy 165 kcals • fat 9g • saturates 1g • carbs 16g • sugars 11g • fibre 3g • protein 3g • salt none Broad bean, feta & watercress salad SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins NO COOK…

It’s a natural stage in every woman’s life, but for some the menopause means uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flushes, sleepless nights and dry skin. The good news is that diet and lifestyle can make a real difference. The menopause begins when your ovaries are no longer able to produce the oestrogen and progesterone you need for a reproductive cycle. Oestrogen is a mood lifter, so when levels start to drop, you can feel more tired and irritable. However, plant compounds known as phytoestrogens can mimic the effect of oestrogen and are valuable, along with magnesium and calcium, for bone health. Egg & Puy lentil salad with tamari & watercress SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins plus optional overnight soaking COOK 35 mins 75g/2 1 /2oz dried Puy lentils…

Alice Colley, 31, an economist, lives in west London. This Northern Irish fridge cake recipe, which gets its name because there are 15 of each main ingredient, was passed down to Alice by her grandmother. It was a regular teatime treat when Alice was a child. Fifteens MAKES 15 PREP 20 mins plus at least 4 hrs chilling NO COOK 15 digestive biscuits15 marshmallows15 glacé cherries, cut in halfabout 200ml/7fl oz condensed milk200g/7oz desiccated coconut, to coat 1 Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, then put them in a large mixing bowl. Chop each marshmallow into 4 pieces and add to the bowl with the cherries and 175ml condensed milk. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and you…

This premium three-night, experience-packed getaway includes a luxury garden room at the five-star Hotel Maria Cristina, a Basque cooking class, pintxos and wine tasting, a trip to coastal farms, and an evening food workshop. One of the BBC Good Food cookery team will also be on hand for the weekend to help answer all your foodie questions. Places are very limited for what is sure to be a memorable weekend, so enquire quickly by visiting sansebastianfood.com/bbcgoodfood. Explore the Basque region San Sebastián Food is a leading Basque Country culinary tourism company. Pintxos, Rioja wine, seafood, cider, Idiazabal cheese… the tiny Basque region of Spain has more than its share of delicious treasures. The team of a dozen food and wine professionals have an obsession for sharing the culinary secrets of…

Charred aubergine salad with sugar-spice onions SERVES 4 as a main course, 8 as a side PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr 1 large aubergine, thinly sliced into rounds 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil 50g/2oz desiccated coconut 1/2 tsp turmeric 2 x 400g cans brown lentils, rinsed and drained bunch spring onions, sliced small pack coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped 150g pack pomegranate seeds 85g/3oz cashew nuts, bashed a few times FOR THE SUGAR-SPICE ONIONS 3 onions, roughly sliced 1 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander 2 tbsp light brown soft sugar FOR THE DRESSING 160ml can coconut cream juice 3 limes 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 tbsp onion seeds or nigella seeds 2 tbsp mango chutney 1 Start with the sugar-spice onions. Put the onions,…

DODDINGTON DAIRY WINNER IN THE FOOD PRODUCER CATEGORY Surviving as dairy farmers isn’t easy, and in the 1990s Neill and Jackie Maxwell realised they’d need to do more than just sell their creamy milk to keep going. So they started crafting artisan cheeses and luxury ice creams – and they’ve never looked back. Cheeses are made from the raw fresh milk of North Doddington Farm’s cows, which graze on the pastures of the Glendale Valley – one of only about 20 herds left in Northumberland. Doddington’s seven artisan cheeses include hard cheeses Cuddy’s Cave and Doddington, Gouda-style Berwick Edge, and Admiral Collingwood, a semi-soft cheese washed in Newcastle Brown Ale. Doddington’s ice creams use full-cream milk from its cows and double cream from local herds, only adding sugar and egg…

Posh picnics Stay at Gravetye Manor in Sussex (gravetyemanor.co.uk) and head to Whitestone Wood, where you can settle down to a picnic featuring the hotel’s homegrown fruit and veg, as well as homemade cake and locally produced Nyetimber fizz. It costs £80 for two. If you don’t fancy carrying your hamper, the hotel will provide a butler! Pick up a hamper of local goodies from Arch House Deli (archhousedeli.com) and grab a grassy spot to enjoy the annual balloon fiesta (bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk) in Bristol on 6-9 August. Hampers, which must be pre-ordered, start at £9.95 per person. Great for hen parties too. Take a rowing boat on the river Stour through Constable country in Essex, then stop for a picnic. Maison Talbooth hotel (prideofbritainhotels.com/maison _talbooth) can provide a hamper for £100 for…

STAY FOR A SEASON Picking blueberries Where Wood Cottage Berry Farm, Whitchurch, Shropshire Cost Free When A time slot can be arranged via wwoof.org.uk  or you can visit the farm in person Best for Gap-year experience-seekers of any age If you have time on your side and aren’t afraid of hard work, you could volunteer via the online network World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. David and Gill Wilson Butterworth welcome willing workers to their six-acre Shropshire farm, to live with the family in their 16th-century farmhouse and help with the blueberry harvest. ‘We have six acres of blueberries and five of apple orchards and gardens,’ says David. ‘Our guests are involved in all aspects of life here, and there’s lots of work to be done!…

Nutty watercress pesto SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins NO COOK 100g pack watercresssmall bunch basil1 garlic clove50g/2oz Brazil nuts, choppedjuice 1 lemon25g/1oz Parmesan shavings (orvegetarian alternative)2 tbsp rapeseed oil Pop the watercress, basil, garlic and Brazil nuts into a food processor. Blitz until very finely chopped. Add the remaining pesto ingredients and pulse again until mixed, then season to taste. Will keep, well covered, for 4-5 days in the fridge. PER TBSP energy 41 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 1g • carbs none • sugars none • fibre none• protein 1g • salt none USE YOUR PESTO TO CREATE 3 delicious no-cook suppers Toss through leftover cooked pasta and garnish with watercress and Parmesan shavings (as above). Spread over toasted slices of ciabatta, top with goat’s cheese and chopped…

SPANISH FOOD FOR FRIENDS Nibbles with drinks Citrus & fennel marinated olives Stuffed & grilled vegetable bites Menu for 4 Salmorejo – Rustic tomato soup with olive oil & bread Smoky paprika seafood rice Shaved fennel, courgette & orange salad Peach puff pastry tart with almonds Citrus & fennel marinated olives For such a simple tapas, you need good-quality olives marinated in olive oil. This recipe can be made ahead – and the longer the better, as the flavours will gradually infuse. SERVES 4 as a snack PREP 10 mins plus marinating COOK 5 mins 1/2 heaped tsp fennel seeds pared zest 1 /2 orange (use a vegetable peeler to get long strips) pared zest 1 /2 lemon 2 bay leaves 3 rosemary sprigs 3 medium…

‘Growing up in a Caribbean family, between Leicester and my native Trinidad, means that the food I cook is a mix of the traditional and what I call British-Caribbean – a blend of food inspired by my upbringing. ‘I am passionate about Caribbean food and I love showing people that the more well-known dishes – jerk, mutton curry, rice & peas – are just a tiny taster of the wonderful cuisine our islands have to offer. Our multicultural history means that there are so many influences weaving together the people and the food – from the Americas, the UK, continental Europe, West Africa, India and Asia, along with the native tribes of the Caribbean itself. ‘For me, the essence of Caribbean food is a diverse combination of flavours, brought together…

After graduating in hotel management, Darina Allen arrived at Ballymaloe House in 1968. She was appointed sous chef in the kitchens, then run by Myrtle Allen, and became a member of the family when she married Myrtle’s son, Tim. In 1983 Darina started the Ballymaloe Cookery School, now one of the food world’s most respected institutions, which has inspired generations of cooks and produced several top chefs, including Thomasina Miers. Ballymaloe is now world-famous, but how did it all begin? This school is a daughter enterprise of the original Ballymaloe House, the country house restaurant started by my mother-in-law, Myrtle Allen, 51 years ago. Food from the garden has always been the focus, and it didn’t seem to be anything revolutionary at the time. It’s the most logical thing –…

Egg & avocado open sandwich SERVES 1 (easily doubled) PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins 2 medium eggs 1 ripe avocado juice 1 lime 2 slices rye bread 2 tsp hot chilli sauce (we used sriracha) handful cress, to serve 1 Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Add the eggs and cook for 8-9 mins until hard-boiled. Meanwhile, halve the avocado and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice, season well and mash with a fork. 2 When the eggs are cooked, run under cold water for 2 mins before removing the shells. Spread the avocado on the rye bread. Slice the eggs into thin rounds and place on top of the avocado. Drizzle some chilli sauce over the eggs, scatter the cress on…

For many of us, the taste of spanakopita – a rich spinach & feta cheese pie – transports us back to summer holidays in Greece. However, the classic version is high in salt and fat from the feta, not to mention the buttery layers of filo pastry. So for my lighter version, I retained plenty of spinach, but used ricotta to provide most of the cheesy creaminess – as it has about half the fat of feta, and is far less salty. (I kept just a little feta as a chunky backdrop.) However, since ricotta has a milder taste, I added shallot, spring onions, garlic and lots of fresh herbs. These changes meant I could get away with less egg to bind it – which further reduced the amount of…

Although sales have dipped in recent years, with the spotlight on sugar’s links to obesity and tooth decay, we’re still drinking large quantities of fruit juice and smoothies. In the UK, 45% of adults drink juice and 20% have a smoothie once a week or more. We are also embracing the Californian trend for juicing at home, inspired by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, and the perception that making drinks from all-natural ingredients is good for us. UK retailers report booming sales of juicers, including new-generation machines that claim to make juice a healthier option by retaining more nutrients and fibre. Meanwhile, consumers are lapping up cookbooks and food websites featuring recipes for rainbow-hued drinks designed to make us glow with good health. And yet, leading experts – including Government…

THE COCKTAIL HOUR Serve your summer drinks with a little more style. Here are Food editor Cassie Best’s tips: • Give red wine a summer makeover by transforming it into Tinto de Verano – an equal mix of red wine and soda or lemonade, and finish off with lots of ice and lemon slices. • Glasses and paper cups have a knack of sliding round on trays, especially in the garden. Put them in the holes of a muffin tin and they’ll be held securely. • Pop a frozen grape into a glass of white wine instead of an ice cube. It will keep the wine chilled without diluting it – then you get to eat it. • If you’re being bothered by flies or wasps, cover your glass with…