Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Good Food

And, just like that, the sun’s out! The kitchen windows are wide open, veg aisles and boxes are suddenly more interesting, and we can finally get out in the fresh air. It feels like a good opportunity to give the magazine a spring clean, so we have a new section, Cook’s Calendar, full of suggestions for easy, satisfying projects this month (p11). Food director Cassie Best has made it simple to plan meals using the best of the season, with plenty of healthy, great-value choices that give you more precious time to enjoy the warmer weather over the bank holidays (p18). We’re always striving to develop recipes that will become your new favourites, of course, but BBC Good Food is more than just a cooking resource. Thank you to everyone…

your letters ‘I’ve been a Good Food subscriber for more than 10 years, and make lots of the recipes. In April 2020, at the height of the first lockdown, I set myself a challenge to cook all the cover recipes for a year. Some have been easy, many have been tricky (Christmas 2020 was the hardest), but all have been delicious and well-received by my family. I’ve posted a picture of every one on Facebook, and friends have told me how much they look forward to seeing the next cover recipe and that it’s provided really positive posts for them during a di icult year. The challenge is complete, but the cooking continues! Attached is a photo of all 12 months.’ Liz Mildenhall, Swindon, Wiltshire your creations what you’ve been…

There was a time where a tightly packed Iceberg lettuce was one of the only varieties in supermarkets. Now, you’ll find different shapes, sizes and textures, all with unique flavour profiles. I often have a large head of lettuce in my veg box, which forces me to play around in the kitchen. Moving into salad season, I particularly like lettuce-based salads with hot and sour flavours. The cool, crisp and clean earthy lettuce works so well with a few punchy notes. Here, I’ve paired it with a sriracha and sesame dressing, as well as thinly sliced steak. If you have a good homegrown variety with bags of flavour, try a simple vinaigrette and use a good-quality extra virgin or rapeseed oil to dress it. Some lettuce varieties, like Little Gem…

The Little Yorkshire Scone Co. These baked beauties are the creation of Kat Fisk, who launched her Little Yorkshire Scone Company on 1 August last year – Yorkshire Day. After years baking treats for friends in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, she seized the opportunity of lockdown and the demand for home-delivered luxuries to share her scones further afield. She says: ‘As well as the classics, I tried out recipes and flavours I’d seen when travelling around Canada and the USA with work. The North American scones are often topped with amazing icing, are crumblier, and tend to be made with yogurt.’ We tried a delicious box of both sweet and savoury scones, containing traditional fruit, dark chocolate & ginger, chorizo & manchego, and blue cheese & hazelnuts. Visit the website for…

‘Dried borlotti beans from Lamon in the Veneto region have protected status and are the finest available. You don’t have to use them, of course, but if you’re lucky enough to come  across them, you’re in for a treat. Combined with flavoursome sausage and spicy nduja, they are heavenly. Have a bottle of chianti or other Tuscan red wine to drink alongside – it’s essential.’ Roasted Italian sausages with borlotti beans & nduja sauce SERVES 2 PREP 25 mins plus overnight soaking COOK 1 hr 15 mins EASY 250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight in cold water 2 garlic cloves, 1 finely sliced, 1 peeled but left whole 1 plum tomato 2-3 sage leaves 3 tbsp olive oil 4 Italian sausages 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 1 red onion, finely…

The Green Barbecue by Rukmini Iyer (£17.99, Square Peg) Rukmini’s recipes always pack in flavour with minimal effort required, and she’s given meat-free barbecue recipes the same treatment here. This month, I’ll be making her inventive veg burgers, cauliflower wings and crispy corn with herby butter, and maybe even attempting a grilled dessert to round it off: think cinnamon-griddled pineapple with toasted coconut. My must-try recipe: crispy gnocchi – on a stick – with charred peppers & basil pesto. Simply Raymond by Raymond Blanc (£25, Headline Home) Inspired by his mother’s cooking, the chef at Le Manoir spent lockdown writing this collection of uncomplicated family meals. There are, of course, plenty of French dishes – cod cassoulet and a tartiflette that looks so cheesy I want…

• PREPPING CORN Working with one cob at a time, hold the corn cob upright on a board and cut the kernels away using a sharp serrated knife cut downwards, away from yourself. Don’t worry if there are chunky bits, as these add texture. You can freeze the kernels in a food bag for up to three months. • ROAST TOMATOES Make a double batch of the roast tomatoes, then blitz half to use as a pasta sauce. Add some basil and chilli flakes to the sauce, too, if you like. Or, pile the extra roast tomatoes onto toasted sourdough rubbed with garlic, and top with burrata or goat’s cheese.…

FROM THIS ISSUE Baked feta salad Use up any leftover baked feta and preserved lemon peas from p94 by crumbling the feta into a salad made with mixed grains and the peas. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil for a speedy lunch. Beef & peanut noodles Any leftover steak from p16 can be stir-fried with noodles, leftover sriracha dressing, peanuts and any leftover spring onions. Pulled chicken nachos Make any leftover chilli from p50 go further by spooning it over tortilla chips piled onto a baking tray, then cover with grated cheese and bake until warm and the cheese has melted. Scatter with a handful of coriander. Halloumi & roasted veg-stuffed pittas Reheat any leftover aubergine, halloumi & harissa skillet bake from p146 and stuff into warmed pittas. Dot…

DISCOVER Is rice good for you? Rice is a major food staple for more than half of the world’s population – but is it healthy? It depends on who you ask, and the type of rice you’re consuming. Brown rice is considered a wholegrain as it contains all three parts of the grain: the bran, germ and endosperm, while white rice has had the bran and germ removed, leaving only the starchy part. White rice has a higher glycaemic index than brown, meaning that your body converts it into sugar more quickly. This can be advantageous for certain groups, such as athletes, who might need easy access to energy sources, or those with digestive issues who might find white rice easier to break down. However, for the majority of us,…

Emma Crawforth is a qualified horticulturist, trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is the gardening editor for BBC Gardeners’ World. This month, she answers questions on peas. PEAS What do I look for to tell when peas are ready? If you’re growing mangetout peas, where you eat the whole pod, it’s obvious when they’ve reached the desirable size. With shelling peas, you can see the peas making bumps in the pod. Harvest, shell and eat quickly when the bumps are fat enough. Picking encourages the plant to produce more pods. What time of year are they grown? You can sow pea seeds all year round to eat the tender, sweet shoot tips. But for pods, sow small batches in autumn and from mid-winter to mid-summer; the first crops…

Lara Lee is a chef, food writer and caterer whose food celebrates her Indonesian-Australian heritage. Follow her on @laraleefood Gado-gado salad with peanut sauce (Gado-gado) There are many dishes served with peanut sauce in Indonesia, but none is more famous than gado-gado, which translates from Indonesian as ‘mix-mix’. It also comes from the word menggado, which is to eat something without rice, a rarity on these islands. You can substitute the vegetables with whatever you have to hand – the key is a good peanut sauce and plenty of kerupuk or prawn crackers. You can eat this dish on its own, but it also makes a great side dish as part of a larger feast. The peanut sauce lasts for up to five days, but once tossed together, gado-gado…

Watch our skills videos at bbcgoodfood.com/video We love to see what you’re making, too: share your recipes on our BBC Good Food Together Facebook page and on Instagram #wearebbcgoodfood THIS MONTH & Breadmaking tips from Barney Desmazery on page 121…

Every kitchen needs a good, sharp cook’s knife. This is the knife you’ll use for most jobs – cutting fruit and vegetables, slicing meat and fish into pieces and finely chopping herbs. They have a medium-to-long blade with a straight, curved or Granton edge. The oval depressions along the latter, often found on a santoku knife, hold pockets of air, which stop thin slices of food from sticking to the blade. The tang is the part of the blade that extends into the handle. It isn’t always visible, but adds strength and balance to the knife. Look for ‘fully forged’, meaning that the blade and tang are made from a single piece of steel. Cook’s knives come in a range of shapes and sizes – it’s best to try out…

“A cast iron pot is something we couldn’t live without in the kitchen. It’s strong, durable and very versatile. We use it to make all our soups, stews and curries, and it’s great for frying. Our grandmother was the first person to introduce us to it when we were younger. You knew that when it came out you were in for a delicious meal! We use a modern version, but she still cooks with the same traditional ‘Dutch pot’ now.”…

When people greet each other in Singapore, instead of asking ‘How are you?’ they say, ‘Are you hungry? Shall we go for some food?’ This is because Singaporeans ‘live by their stomachs’, says Elizabeth Haigh in her vibrant new cookbook. It sounds like a place where Good Food readers would fit right in. She says, ‘In my family, we talk about food constantly. It’s almost like living in a chaotic restaurant, so it was a natural progression that I ended up becoming a chef.’ Which she did with some aplomb, competing in BBC One’s MasterChef, then going on to win a Michelin star at Pidgin in Hackney, London, at just 27 years old. Makan is a celebration of the diversity of food from Elizabeth’s heritage, drawn from the recipes handed…

CAREERS CORNER Find out more about working in the industry with Ounal Bailey, a drinks innovator and co-founder of WiseHead Productions WHAT’S YOUR AVERAGE WORKING DAY LIKE? There’s no such thing as an ‘average’ day for me. It can span from time spent in the office discussing and developing strategies for growing The London Essence Company ( londonessenceco.com ) while brainstorming new products, to working with our marketing agencies on new campaigns and organising events. I’m also fortunate to be able to travel within the UK and across the world to meet experts in the industry, which keeps every day fresh and exciting. WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO THOSE LOOKING TO WORK IN THE DRINKS INDUSTRY? I often wish I’d started much earlier, as, while it’s challenging, it’s a…

Andi Oliver is a powerhouse. Host of BBC Two’s Great British Menu, star of BBC Radio 4’s The Kitchen Cabinet and BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen Live, she has now launched Andi’s Wadadli Kitchen – a multi-pronged movement to celebrate Caribbean recipes and challenge age-old gastronomic stereotypes. We met, and cooked together, on Zoom. This woman is an actual dynamo. Emma: So, why Wadadli? Andi: People have this weird idea about Caribbean cooking; that there’s jerk chicken, rice and peas, coleslaw – and that’s your lot. It’s quite difficult to get really good Caribbean food unless you go to a Caribbean household. A lot of the time even when you go to a Caribbean restaurant, it’s generally pretty poor. The last time I went to Jamaica, the best food I found…

Aubergine, halloumi & harissa skillet bake SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V 2-4 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle 1 large aubergine, sliced into rounds about 1/2cm thick 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp harissa paste 1/2 tsp caster sugar 225g block halloumi, sliced into 8-9 pieces pinch of dried mint flatbreads, rice or couscous, to serve 1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a roughly 22cm ovenproof skillet or frying pan, then add the aubergine slices in a single layer (you’ll need to do this in batches). Cook for 2-3 mins on each side until just golden and softened, adding another 1 tbsp oil between each batch. Transfer to a plate. 2 If the pan is dry, add another 1 tbsp…

At Immediate Media, publishers of BBC Good Food, we respect and value differences. We understand that when people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we can create the most value – for our readers, our people and society. We always strive to be inclusive, but we need to do better. We have been taking time to listen and understand how we can make positive changes, and how we can better support and increase diversity across all our brands. We have begun work on a comprehensive plan to create and drive authentic change.…

1 GET ORGANISED THREE WAYS TO ORGANISE YOUR FOOD CUPBOARD When the glut of summer produce hits I get out my preserving pan to make chutneys, jams and pickles. Soon my kitchen shelves will be groaning, so it’s time to make space in my pantry cupboard. Here’s how: • Invest in a tiered shelf organiser. You’ll be able to see cans, jars or bottles at a glance, so they won’t get lost at the back of the cupboard. • Stock rotation. Put new ingredients at the back of the cupboard and bring older ones forward to avoid missing use-by dates. • Donate! If you have long-life ingredients nearing their best-before date, donate to food banks or use the Olio app ( olioex.com ) to reduce waste and make space. 2 PRESER VE THE…

BUTTERHEAD This is a great all-rounder of a lettuce. It’s my favourite variety because it proves to be so versatile and useful in cooking, with a delicate and silky leaf and mild flavour. I love it with a crispy roast chicken and aioli, or in sandwiches. FRISÉE Curly and slightly spiky in appearance, this has a bitter and slightly grainy texture. Classically combined with crispy pancetta and poached eggs in France, it’s also delicious lightly dressed in mustard-based dressings. RADICCHIO A striking variety in bright, deep red and pink, with a bitter flavour and robust, thick leaf. Delicious with citrus fruits such as blood orange and soft Italian cheese like mozzarella and burrata. Find it in supermarkets and Italian delis.…

PENNE ALLA VODKA We’ve noticed a surge on social media of people making pasta alla vodka. Typically made with penne, this dish is all about the rich, creamy sauce that combines tomato, garlic, chilli and cream with a hint of vodka. The vodka adds a peppery warmth but also helps to emulsify the sauce. Got a sudden hankering? Turn to page 52 for our recipe. BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE Another dish we’ve noticed having a moment recently is burnt Basque cheesecake. Gracing not just our social media feeds but our local cafés, restaurants and bakeries, too, this baked cheesecake, originally from San Sebastián, is characterised by its oozy, creamy centre and distinctively dark browned top. BABKA REINVENTED Last year was the year of the babka. We saw a huge rise in…

rosé vermouth Regal Rogue, Wild Rosé The latest addition to the Regal Rogue range is its Wild Rosé vermouth, made with a fruity blend of tropical Australian botanicals such as illawarra plums, hibiscus and strawberry gum. Easy-drinking and fragrant, it brings a little sunshine to any drink. Serve with cloudy lemonade or sparkling water and lots of ice, then garnish with fresh, frozen or freeze-dried strawberries. 16.5% ABV, £11.95 (50cl), thewhiskyexchange.com MN pink gin 6 O’Clock Gin, Romy’s Edition: Mango, Ginger & Lime Chef and Ready Steady Cook star Romy Gill has partnered with 6 O’Clock Gin to produce this mango, ginger and lime gin highlighting the flavours of India. Laden with cardamom and juniper, it has zesty lime notes and delicate mango flavour for natural sweetness. With a rich mouth-feel,…

Saturday Kitchen Live Matt Tebbutt and guests celebrate Eid, the Muslim festival marking the end of the month-long prayer and fasting of Ramadan, with a special hour-long live programme at 10am on Sunday 16 May on BBC One. Join in on social media using @saturday.kitchen. Catch Saturday Kitchen on BBC One every Saturday at 10am, or watch on BBC iPlayer. The Food Programme This month, the team discuss the reopening of restaurants, cooking with MSG and the keto diet. Remember to nominate your food heroes for this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards, too – you have until 16 May, and can nominate at bbc.co.uk/foodawards. Listen to the Food Programme on Sundays at 12.30pm on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. The Kitchen Cabinet The current series of the BBC Radio…

recipes BBC GOOD FOOD TEAM Punchy spinach pesto pizza ‘My love affair with pesto has been going on for as long as I can remember – I’ll put it on anything and everything. When I realised that you can actually make it with any green vegetable you have lying around, it changed my life – and that helps save food waste, too. My mission for this pizza recipe was to get delicious green vegetables into each element, and I think the spinach works really well in the base. The mixture of lemon and crème fraîche is light and zingy, brilliantly offsetting the heat of chilli flakes and savoury depth of the pesto.’ Liberty Mendez SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins plus 2 hrs proving COOK 1 hr MORE EFFORT V…

your shopping list MEAT & FISH 250g cooked chicken breast 400g boneless and skinless cod loin DAIRY & CHILLED 200g light crème fraîche 2 tbsp parmesan 100g low-fat soy yogurt X 300g gnocchi VEGETABLES 65g kale 100g spinach 5 garlic cloves 1 red onion 4 white onions 2 large cooked beetroot 200g rocket 300g sugar snap peas 2 small aubergines 200g long-stemmed broccoli 100g radishes 4 spring onions OILS 40ml olive oil 1 ½ tbsp sesame oil 3 tbsp rapeseed oil 50ml extra virgin olive oil CITRUS 3 limes 2 lemons STORECUPBOARD 15g pine nuts 1 vegetable stock cube 200g quinoa 50g plain flour 2 tbsp milled flaxseed 325ml light coconut milk X 400g brown basmati rice 4 wholemeal pittas 400g can chickpeas 1 tbsp chipotle paste X 200g straight-to-wok…

Quick cheat’s strawberry mousse This sweet treat ticks all the boxes: it’s fruity, creamy and very easy to make. A silky mascarpone and strawberry layer is complemented by a tangy compote, crunchy ginger biscuits and pistachios. SERVES 4-5 PREP 20 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V 500g strawberries, hulled and halved, any larger ones quartered 1 lemon, zested and juiced 100g caster sugar 150ml mascarpone 300ml double cream 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste To serve 4 gingernut biscuits, crushed small handful of pistachios, roughly chopped (optional) freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (optional) 1 Put the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and 2 tbsp water in a large pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 mins until the fruit has softened. Scrape into a bowl leave to cool. Tip 300g of the…

Mini chorizo, pea & potato frittatas You can replace the chorizo with chopped chargrilled peppers and a pinch of smoked paprika to make these frittatas vegetarian. MAKES 6 PREP 8 mins COOK 35 mins EASY 4 new potatoes (about 150g) 6 eggs, beaten 60g chorizo, diced 75g frozen peas, defrosted few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped 50g cheddar, grated 1 Cook the potatoes in a small pan of boiling water for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then leave to steam-dry and cool. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Line a six-hole muffin tin with paper or silicone cases. Tip the eggs, chorizo, peas, parsley and some seasoning into a large bowl. Slice the cooled potatoes into rounds that are the thickness of a £1 coin, and add…

When the sun is out, I love to get outdoors and barbecue. The smoky coals add so much flavour to dishes. But, with the British weather being unpredictable, barbecues are usually last-minute affairs, so I rarely cook anything that takes days to marinade or prepare. Also, these popular recipes from our archive make use of storecupboard staples and easy-to-find ingredients, which means they can be thrown together at the drop of a hat. Sticky barbecue chicken Chicken cooked in sticky, smoky sauce is a must-have at any barbecue for me, and this recipe never disappoints. The method guarantees tender chicken every time, and there’s no need to worry about serving undercooked meat – the chicken is cooked in the oven and finished on the barbecue. The glaze is everything a…

Vegan blueberry & lime tart SERVES 8 PREP 40 mins plus at least 6 hrs chilling and cooling COOK 30 mins MORE EFFORT V For the base 3 ½ tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin 100g rolled oats 100g ground almonds 2 ½ tbsp maple syrup or honey For the berry layer 250g blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 lime and 1 lemon, juiced and zested 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey 3g agar powder For the filling 50g blueberries, plus extra to serve 50g maple syrup or honey 1 lemon, zested 250ml plant milk (we used oat milk) 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 3g agar powder ½ tbsp cornflour 1 lime, zest pared into strips, to serve edible rose petals, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oven to…

In this episode, baker and food writer Benjamina Ebuehi shares her secrets to making the best doughnuts. BENJAMINA’S TOP TIPS • Take the weather into account when leaving doughnuts to rise. In summer, your kitchen will be warmer, and your dough will rise faster, whereas in colder weather it will take longer – sometimes even double the time, or more. • Don’t under-knead – though it can feel like forever, kneading is so important. Set a timer so you know how long you’ve been doing it. The longer you knead, the softer and smoother the dough gets, which is what you want. • A thermometer is essential to make sure the oil is the right temperature. Too low and the doughnuts will soak the oil up, too hot and they’ll…

• Good-quality chicken Using good-quality, free-range and organic chicken wings is a great place to start. The fat and skin on outdoor-reared chicken crisps up more easily and overall has a more buttery flavour. Make sure you buy the whole chicken wings and separate them into drumettes and flats by cutting at the joint. Pat the chicken wings dry and rub with salt, then leave uncovered in the bottom of the fridge overnight – this extracts any moisture from the skin and gives a good level of seasoning to the wings. • The coating This is key for texture. Simply toss the wings in seasoned cornflour or plain flour, lightly, just before baking or frying. This step helps to achieve that classic crisp, exterior. You can also add other seasonings…

BARNEY SAYS: ‘There’s no doubt that cooking a steak until it’s dry and tough isn’t the best way to serve it, but it’s not true that one degree of ‘doneness’ fits all. You should cook different cuts of beef in different ways. A lean fillet cut should be kept rare as it doesn’t have any fat to keep it juicy, or any bits of muscle tissue that need to be cooked (this is why it can be served raw as carpaccio). If you have a cut with fat and sinew running through, such as ribeye or côte de boeuf (rib on the bone), or even sirloin with its thick strip of buttery fat, it’s better to cook it until medium-rare, to allow the fat to render down properly. Otherwise, you…

Tips for leftover tomatoes Gazpacho is good – just blend them into a soup. Or cook the tomatoes down and make an amazing passata – cut the tomatoes in half, throw in some chopped onions and fry them with some garlic. Add a little tomato purée, some vinegar, sugar and crumble in a stock cube. Just cook it out for ages and then you can purée it or you can keep it chunky. Use as a base for pasta sauces, or for thickening stews. You can divide it into little freezer bags and stick it in the freezer. Make chutney with courgettes You can do a very good chutney with them, like you would make any other chutney. Use a base of sugar and vinegar cooked out with onions and…

This bitter digestif (39% ABV) was developed in 1845 to be used as medicine – sounds delightful, right? But, don’t be put off! It’s enjoyed a recent revival because it’s a great addition to any drinks cabinet (in the US, it’s known as a bartender’s handshake, such is its cult appeal). Drink it with cola, float it on top of a summer hemingway cocktail or make a classic hanky panky. Adding a splash of this herbal liqueur to a sweet, fruity drink provides a lovely complexity and bitterness, too.…

Favourite alcoholic drink. Bison Grass vodka with fresh pomegranate juice. I had it in Morocco last year, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. Favorite pudding. Oh, I’m sorry, I have to have two – spotted dick and jam roly poly with proper custard. Most memorable dish you’ve ever eaten. Proper, succulent Southern American fried chicken done in a skillet. Or shrimp and grits. I mean, I could go on... Piece of kitchen equipment everyone should have? A hand blender. I travel with mine. I know – I’m such a weirdo. Silence or background noise while you’re cooking? Noise. Music. People. I think silent kitchens are a bit creepy. One dish you’d love everyone to try and cook. My spicy honey-baked chicken. When our kids are sad, that’s what…

As life begins to unlock, many of us look forward to trying to forget the last 18 months of hardship and heartbreak. But what we mustn’t forget are the remarkable people whose selflessness supported others and brought both encouragement and joy. We saw it a lot in hospitality – an industry almost brought to its knees, yet one where people who had little gave so much. This is my tribute to just a handful of those heroes. 1 MERYL FERNANDES, The Duke of Richmond pub, Hackney Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign (see p20) spurred Meryl Fernandes and her partner Tom Oldroyd into action. Meryl, an actor and television presenter, says: ‘We planned 60 meals per day. But then I put it on Instagram and the response was crazy –…

Andi Oliver Emma Freud talks to the chef and TV and radio presenter about Caribbean food (p126), and Andi shares her recipe for Wadadli stew on page 128. Esther Clark Make the most of the early summer harvest with our deputy food editor’s fresh ideas using strawberries, peas and cucumbers (p92). Shivi Ramoutar Share seasonal, sunny plates with friends and family using Shivi’s special recipes, including a grilled nectarine & burrata salad (p86). Santosh Shah The MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 finalist talks about his experiences growing up in Nepal (p134), and shares his chicken momos recipe (p136).…

Food director Cassie Best shares some of the recipes she’s excited to cook from this issue and on bbcgoodfood.com I find making a meal plan fun and cathartic. Knowing I’ve got some recipes up my sleeve for the week ahead brings a sense of calm and makes shopping so much easier. Here’s what I’ll be cooking in May. Monday BREAKFAST Sunshine smoothie I love to start the day with a smoothie – this is one of my favourites. find the recipe online AFTERNOON TEA Fruit scones On the bank holiday weekend I’ll be having a family tea party or picnic. These scones will be perfect. find the recipe online DINNER Beetroot quinoa burgers I like to cook veggie meals a few times a week, and these burgers will be a…

1 La Tua Pasta handmade nduja tortelloni £6.50, 250g, latuapasta.com I love the soft, mousse-like spicy nduja and ricotta filling in these tortelloni. Delicious enough to be enjoyed with just butter or olive oil and parmesan, it’s also great with a simple tomato sauce. 2 Worthy Farm reserve cheddar £3, 320g, Co-op This new reserve cheddar made at Worthy Farm (home of Glastonbury Festival) has a good mature tang but is also super-smooth and creamy. 3 The Woolf’s Kitchen sauces £13.49, 3 x 150ml, thewoolfskitchen.com The versatile hot & sour sauce is great with just about anything (I love it in halloumi wraps), the zingy lime & jalapeño is perfect with Mexican dishes, and the sweet, sticky tamarind ketchup can be used in Thai-inspired noodle dishes or smothered over barbecued…

DR LAURA KEYES A clinical psychologist with a decade of experience working therapeutically with young people and adults, Laura worked in the NHS for several years before setting up her private practice, Dr Laura Keyes & Associates Ltd, to support people local to Bedfordshire. Laura is passionate about normalising help-seeking and developing strong collaborative relationships. She is committed to helping people understand and improve their mental health and maintain a healthy work/life balance. Along with working in her private practice, Laura also writes for the Good Food website, sharing her knowledge on everything from how to deal with stress and conflict, to managing anxiety following Covid 19. To find articles from Laura, visit bbcgoodfood. com/author/laurakeyes. Each month, we introduce you to the experts who create content for your favourite food…

1 Verdura asparagus platter Ј55, conranshop.co.uk We love this beautiful, scalloped-edged serving platter with its hand-painted asparagus design – it makes an extra-special gift for a veg-loving dinner party host. 2 Radish gardening gloves Ј21.33, etsy.com/shop/MyLittleBelleville These hand-painted gardening gloves make a great gift for the green-fingered. 3 Happy fruit & veg bamboo kids’ plate Ј4.50, sassandbelle.co.uk Encourage your little ones to eat more of the good stuff with this super-cute plate decorated with smiley fruit and veg. It’s made from bamboo, so it’s sustainable and lightweight. 4 Bordallo Pinheiro aubergine salad bowl Ј42, knowandlove.co.uk We love this quirky, beautifully made aubergine-shaped dish. At 24.5 x 11.5cm, it’s a nice size for salads, greens and sides. 5 Vegetable planting calendar Ј25, Alice Rose at notonthehighstreet.com For anyone who wants to grow their own veg, this…

• ASPARAGUS Working with one spear at a time, hold the spear at each end and bend at the middle until it snaps. The spears will break at the point where they become woody. You can discard the woody parts or use them to make soup. Trim the broken ends with a knife to neaten, if you like. You can also peel spears, just leaving the tip at the end. • LONG-STEMMED BROCCOLI The stems can range from thick and woody to thin and tender. It’s best to have equal-sized pieces to ensure they cook in the same amount of time. Remove the ends, then slice any thicker stems in half lengthways. • FRESH PEAS The fresher the pea, the sweeter the taste. Frozen peas are frozen minutes after picking,…

LET’S GET OUTSIDE Plan a picnic With two bank holidays ahead of us this month, here are my top tips for eating outside this summer Ditch the paper plates Paper plates go soggy as soon as your salad dressing hits them. Instead, I have a collection of enamel plates and cups that I use for picnics and camping. They’re cheap and will last much longer. Reduce plastic waste Picnics can leave a trail of single-use plastic behind them. To cut down on cling film and plastic containers (which most picnic food comes in), pack your own sandwiches, salads and snacks into reusable containers. I like wax paper wraps, and jam jars for salads and dips. Chill out Instead of using ice packs to keep the picnic food cool, I half-fill…

Courgette & tahini dip SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Wrap 2 large courgettes in foil and roast for 20 mins until soft – they should be tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Leave to cool completely. Tip the courgettes into a food processor along with 1 small crushed garlic clove and blitz until fluffy. Add 1 tbsp tahini and the juice of1/2 lemon. Season and blitz again. Transfer to a bowl, then stir through 1 tbsp Greek yogurt and a few chopped mint leaves. Drizzle with1/2 tsp olive oil and scatter over some more chopped mint to serve. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten…

Strawberries have ripened earlier in the season in recent years. You’ll see juicy English strawberries hitting the shelves in May and, if you’re lucky, growing on your veg patch. When ripe and ready to eat, strawberries should not have a green hue, they should be plump and juicy and taste slightly sweet and floral. I’ve baked mine into a warm sponge pudding with almonds and polenta for bite (p95). It has all the flavours of a Victoria sponge but with the texture of a robust cornbread. If you don’t like cooked strawberries, try tossing them in lemon juice, caster sugar and thyme (lemon thyme would be ideal) and leaving them to macerate for a few hours. These are delicious piled onto pavlovas or eaten with thick Greek yogurt. Outdoor-grown cucumbers…

If you’re unsure about how to light the coals or worry  about burning your food, you can follow this simple advice. 1 Set up in an open space You are making a contained fire, so set your barbecue up in an open space away from fences or trees. Have a fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby, and keep kids and pets well away. Use long-handled tongs and proper barbecue equipment with insulated handles. 2 Buy good-quality charcoal Choose quality, sustainably produced charcoal – look for brands made from coppiced wood, or wood approved by the Forestry Commission. Quality charcoal lights easily, burns better and won’t taint the flavour of food, unlike charcoals with accelerants. 3 Use a chimney starter These tubular starters mean you’ll be able to light the…

Comforting and nostalgic, a well-made treacle tart is guaranteed to win anyone over. Served just warm with lashings of ice cream or custard, it’s the ideal way to round off Sunday lunch. It’s also a great opportunity to perfect your pastry technique. Treacle tart SERVES 10 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr chilling and cooling COOK 1 hr 5 mins EASY V 250g plain flour 140g cold unsalted butter, cubed 3 tbsp icing sugar 2 egg yolks 2-3 tbsp cold water For the filling 400g golden syrup 1 ball of stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped, plus 50g of the syrup 1 lemon, zested 2 eggs, lightly beaten 100g fine fresh white breadcrumbs 1 Sieve the flour and1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub together…

Can I leave dough in the fridge if I need to go out? When it comes to making bread, temperature increases the speed but time enhances flavour. The fermentation of yeasted dough occurs between 2-40C. The colder it is, the longer it will take. If it’s warm it will ferment quicker but will have less flavour. As long as the dough has risen well by the time it comes to baking, you’ll have a good loaf. That’s a very in-depth way of saying ‘yes’ – at any point in the rising process – be it the newly formed dough or the shaped loaf – it can go in the fridge. That will slow the proving process down by about double the time. How do I get a crispier crust? This…

Mudslide SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins plus overnight chilling COOK 2 mins EASY V Chill two small tumblers overnight. Put 30g dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Dip the rims of the tumblers in the chocolate, then stand upright so it drips down. Chill again while you fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add 60ml coffee liqueur, 60ml vodka, 60ml Irish cream liqueur and 100ml double cream. Shake until the outside of the shaker is cold. Put ice cubes in the tumblers, strain in the cocktail and finely grate over 20g chocolate. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 656 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 26g • carbs 26g • sugars 22g • fibre 3g • protein 4g • salt…

Dalle khursani ‘A very, very hot chilli that looks like a cherry tomato. We make a pickle from it.’ Colocasia leaf ‘This spinach-like leaf is used in curries and soups. We also eat a lot of nettle leaves, and make nettle soup with rice flour.’ Goat ‘We use goat’s milk, cheese and meat. It’s the most common meat, then chicken and fish. Every festival, we have goat, usually curried. In Nepal, whatever it is, we’ll make a curry!’ Timur ‘Similar to, but a bit different from, Sichuan pepper. It’s amazing. On MasterChef, I marinated octopus in spices including timur, and they loved it. There’s a Chinese and Tibetan influence in Nepalese cooking.’ Mustard oil ‘Nepalis use this everywhere. We like strong flavours. But, in the UK imported oil is marked…