The clocks have gone back and it’s time to have a final check on the allotment. The onion sets are planted, the ground prepared for planting the broad beans and it’s time to take stock. Looking around, I thought I could find enough ingredients for a salad. Nasturtium leaves, a few of the last tender…

Beetroot and spinach are still in good supply and provide simple suppers for a quick mid week meal. Chard could easily be substituted for the spinach. The quantities can be varied – depending what you have to hand. 150g spinach, shredded if the leaves are big1 red onion, peeled and finely choppedOlive oil2 plum tomatoes,…

In the US this recipe is known as Bread and Butter Pickle – an off putting title which must be explained. It describes a cheap and cheerful pickle to accompany the simplest of food served in American homes during the Great Depression. Of course, there can be many variants as the recipe is intended to…

It’s the AGM of the local residents’ association and finger food is required. Time to challenge the neighbours’ taste buds. I had never cooked with kasha before. It is roasted buckwheat and used in Russian and Polish cooking. Buckwheat in its raw state is basically a gruel. I remember gruel from children’s books with stories…

It was a timely present to receive a trombetta squash. 70cm long! A curious vegetable. The seeds are all at the top. It was given to me on the day that the lovely young trumpeter Aaron Akugbo was the soloist with the Chineke! Orchestra playing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto at the Proms. I used half the…

I had been invited to an impromptu party with neighbours and decided to make my ‘Gleaner’s Salad’ just taking a huge delight in seeing what I could find. It is late August and I found self-seeded Chinese leaves, rocket, nasturtium leaves, chives and sorrel, took the shiny top leaves off mint, some small beetroot leaves…

This is such a simple meal and, as I am likely to have all the ingredients to hand, it makes a great impromptu, light dish, enough for four (or just halve the quantities for two). Thyme goes well with prawns. 500g tomatoes2 180g packs frozen raw king sized prawns1 medium onion, chopped200ml dry white wine2…

I am writing this in late August. Tomato blight is creeping along the allotments. With luck mine will be the last to fall. I will pick off all the tomatoes and destroy the plants at the first sign of blight on the leaves or stems. A shame because I have a bumper crop of the…

As I passed, this salad was being served to outside eaters at a local restaurant. I made my own version later that day and many times since. It is based on a Caprese salad but has bolder flavour. 300g heritage tomatoes1 nectarine, halved and sliced2 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle10 basil leaves, finely…

The Cheltenham apple and sultana cake has an almost cult following thanks to my friend Penny for whom it was created. No visit to any race course is complete without it as part of our ritual picnic. However, it may have a second rival (there is already a pear, chocolate and almond cake which is…