Christmas is almost with us and I’ve been busy this week preparing and baking some of my family’s Christmas favourites. I offer two canapés today for you to try – devils on horseback and cheese biscuits. You will find many more of my Christmas recipes on Cook this Week on […]
These tasty little cheese biscuits are very more-ish and I have to hide them not only from my family but also from myself. The recipe was originally given to my mother by an old family friend, Rene Merrifield, more than 60 years ago. We have these biscuits every year at […]
The recipe for this brown rice salad with Asian flavours was given to me by a friend a few years ago. She described it as being ‘very pretty with its confetti of different coloured vegetables’, and it is. She likes to use a packet of mixed nuts and seeds and […]
A grated carrot salad or salade de carottes rapees is a popular salad in France that is often made at home but is available in every bistro and market as well. It is quick to make, can be endlessly varied and goes with just about anything. Not to mention it […]
In France cake aux olives is a popular savoury loaf to serve with drinks, enjoy as a light meal with salad or take on a picnic. It can be bought from a boulangerie on Fridays for the weekend or can be put together quickly and baked at home. It is […]
The American Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday in November. Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621 when the pilgrims invited the Native Americans to celebrate their first harvest. For the Thanksgiving holiday families come together to celebrate and feast on a meal […]
This beautiful tomato tart (torta di pomodoro) is from Tuscany and is really quite similar to a quiche. It is lighter and brighter and doesn’t contain any cream. Serve it for a special first course or as a main course with a salad. It is also a great vegetarian main […]
Fennel and rocket salad with pine nuts is a favourite salad of mine. It is deliciously refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to my tomato tart (torta di pomodoro), and also for many other Italian dishes. I am sure you will make it again and again. Photograph by Andrew Taylor Serves 6 […]
Strawberries are much-loved sweet luscious fruits that are plentiful in the markets now. Some of the best ways to enjoy strawberries are very simple; with just a sprinkle of sugar and squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic vinegar. Strawberries and cream are of course a perennial favourite and […]
Orange cake always reminds me of being in the country and of my mother. She always had a freshly made orange cake waiting in the cake tins to welcome me home. This easy recipe is made with a whole orange that is chopped to a puree in the food processor. […]