My recently posted recipe for caponata has sparked lots of interest and reminiscences. I remembered a variation that included red and yellow peppers and have tracked it down to a recipe in Simon Hopkinson’s Week In Week Out; another of SH’s recipes with an excellent pedigree as it came from Toni Vianello’s restaurant, l’Osteria, in…

I had forgotten all about caponata, an aubergine and celery stew from Sicily usually served as an antipasto, until a contestant on Masterchef prepared it. High time for a revival! I have a funny little book, Eating in Sicily, which is always worth consulting and both Anna del Conte in Italian Kitchen and Claudia Roden…

A recipe for cranberry, oat and white chocolate biscuits published by Yotam Ottolenghi in Sweet had sounded a great Christmas treat but one I never got round to making. The cranberries were bought and their use by date was nigh, so time to do something, I had to compromise on the original recipe but the…

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…