Now that my tax return is completed, I have an office to sort out. Lots of recipes and cuttings in piles on the floor. It’s funny how some recipes just catch the imagination and need to be tried. Just now it’s a recipe from The Observer Food Monthly of a year ago. Chefs suggestions for…

There is a classic Chinese film about a widowed father trying to find a husband for his daughter. The father does the household cooking and sea bass stuffed with slivers of garlic and ginger is one of his favourite dishes. His daughter hates how he cooks the sea bass but he persists. There was another…

This is my winter salad of the moment and again comes form Yasmin Khan’s book, Zaitoun. I have given recipes for other salads which combine citrus fruit with dates but the balance of flavours in this recipe works really well. It is important to use an organic clementine for the zest as non organic fruit…

A New Year’s Resolution of sorts came about when I realised I could no longer reply on Waitrose to have the spices in stock that I need and I am unhappy with the prices they charge. In particular, sumac. This chicken dish calls for over 1½ tablespoons of sumac.That’s more than in a single pot…

Inspired by the turkey stuffings sold in local stores around New York, there could be many variations on this recipe but this one works particularly well. Sourdough is the key ingredient. It made a good accompaniment to our Christmas Day turkey and the left overs were even better served with fried eggs for breakfast on…

I am more of a slow cook than a fast one and meals in minutes rarely work for me. If I am that short of time an omelette or pesto with spaghetti would be dishes I could resort to without needing 15 minutes of frenzied activity. Now I have found a meal that is delicious,…

This recipe for a ‘classy salad’ was inspired by the Sam Clarks at Casa Moro and given to me by Diana Cray. It is another good way to serve cauliflower and makes a refreshing salad. Without doubt, cauliflowers are having a renaissance though Cauliflower Wellington, offered this Christmas by Tesco as a vegan option at…

This is our traditional meal to serve at the pre-Christmas get-together with my four stepsons and their families. It takes a long time to cook and could be started overnight. It has all the advantages of not needing much attention, being easy to serve and pleasing everyone. There should be enough for 8-10 servings. Oven…

This recipe, based on Yotam Ottolenghi’s from Saturday’s Guardian, gives a new twist to roast potatoes. As he writes, ‘they are especially good with spiced roast meat’ and a firm favourite in this household. 8 cloves garlic, peeled 120g goose or duck fat (or rapeseed oil) 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2kg…

I spent Thanksgiving with Imogen and Pierre at their house on the North Fork of Long Island. We had two pecan pies, one made in Brooklyn and the other in Orient. Both were excellent. This is my take, based on recipes I could find and what was to hand. It was a bonus to have…