Food and Wine Matching

There is nothing so light but luxurious as a Fruits de Mer platter to celebrate the New Year. We've heard tell of super-cheap lobster from Lidl (though not actually seen any in our local branch) but the wonderful Scallop Shell fish counter (http://www.thescallopshell.co.uk) at the Whiterow Farm shop (http://www.whiterowfarm.co.uk, A361 Beckington roundabout) has a great […]

December is such a busy time with lots of entertaining but also tying up loose ends at work before everyone disappears for the Christmas - New Year period. So it’s good to stock up on wine and food in a way that will take the pressure off. I’ve made mini mince pies that are in […]

Inspired by a beautiful little pie bought from our monthly market I recently constructed a tart made from filo pastry brushed with cumin butter and filled with sweet cooked beetroot and salty feta. I must confess all ingredients were shop bought including pre-cooked beetroot but it made for a delicious and pretty dish that looked […]

The first day of September was celebrated with a warming courgette, tomato and cheese bake. I’d like to say I grew the courgettes myself, but that would be disingenuous. Instead they were harvested from my local Co-op along with some sweet and juicy corn cobs (‘cobblettes’ apparently). Complementing our wholesome seasonal fare was a lovely […]

Salad season is upon us and it’s such fun to experiment with different combinations and dressings. I recently resurrected an old favourite of grilled red peppers , peeled and cut into slithery strips mixed with chickpeas and feta and dressed with good olive oil, fresh thyme leaves and a little salt. This was hearty enough […]

Risotto is often associated with colder weather and can be filling and even a tad stodgy but a light risotto with fresh spring veg and good quality chicken or vegetable stock can be creamy and light. Asparagus and fresh peas in a risotto primavera are great way to serve these lovely late spring vegetables - […]

April is such a variable month, chilly and misty some days with the possibility of glorious sunshine on others and despite being spring the fruit & veg available is still fairly wintery. It’s a good time to experiment with different combinations that add a bit of zing. Sunshine and longer evenings make for impromptu events […]

At last there are intermittent glimpses of spring which are so uplifting. Everyone is emerging from their hibernation. Time for some different slightly lighter food. Puy lentils are a firm favourite and work well in salads with mustardy dressings, with bacon or most interestingly with fish. Try cod with puy lentils and salsa verde (from […]

Nothing like chilly rainy weather to make you long for some warming spicy food. Chilli flakes are an essential cupboard supply. I have a jar that should see out the decade. For a simple weekday supper spaghetti con aglio, olio e peprencino (garlic, olive oil and chilli Spaghetti). Fry slivers of garlic, a generous pinch […]

As the rain lashes down outside we’ve been warming up with some hearty dishes - the diet can wait! We’ve gone retro with a hi-cal Moussaka - that Greek classic of lamb, aubergine and béchamel - if they didn’t serve this in Abigail’s Party they should have done. This admittedly heavy dish is well accompanied […]