Stuffed Tomatoes

The risotto in this recipe is a worthy dish on its own, but stuffing it into a big beefsteak tomato and baking in the oven turns it into something special. A stuffed tomato make a good starter, light lunch or...

Strawberry, Rhubarb & Rosewater Parfait

Depending on how you sell it, this dessert could be called a fool or even a mousse. It’s not quite the season for rhubarb or strawberries, so do use frozen if fresh are not available/up to much. This recipe can...

King Prawn Linguine

This is a fresh tasting and not too filling pasta dish that is really quick and easy to put together. It does contain garlic, which is fine as long as you are both eating it. The quantities are easily doubled...

Cheese Fondue

Unfashionable? Maybe. Cheesy? Definitely! But a fondue is such fun – and the ultimate sharing food. What could be better on a cold February day than dipping crusty bread and crudités into a delicious blend of melted cheese and alcohol?...

Nougat

1. Roast the nuts on three baking sheets at 160˚C for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Take out the oven and leave to cool. 2. Put 400g of the sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan with the glucose and 125ml...

Pan Seared Scallops, Cauliflower & Crispy Chicken Skin

For the cauliflower:  1. Cut the cauliflower into florets. 2. Slice 2 large florets thinly on a mandolin and place in a separate container. Add 100ml white wine vinegar over the sliced florets and 60g caster sugar. Carefully stir, ensuring...

Hot Smoked Salmon

This dish is a real crowd pleaser and centrepiece showstopper. The delicate smoky flavour combines perfectly with freshness of the dill and lime. It is extremely versatile – have it on Christmas morning with scrambled eggs and muffins, whip up...

Raspberries Baked with a Pecan, Cinnamon & Oat Crumb Topping

The speediest but most delicious pudding you can imagine. The topping is made in the time it takes to melt the butter. It can be made in advance and happily kept in the fridge. Using frozen raspberries means there is...

Warm Crab & Horseradish Dip with Homemade Tostaditas

This utterly sublime crab dip takes 3 mins to put together, perfect for having with drinks. I’ve paired it with homemade tostaditas, which can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container (or simply serve...

Dauphinoise Potatoes

This is a glorious creamy potato dish, flavoured with Gruyère cheese and garlic. It can be cooked the day before and simply reheated when ready to serve. It’s super quick to make if you use a food processor. The slicer...

Beef Carpaccio

This is a wonderful way to enjoy fillet of beef. The perfect entertaining dish, as it can all be cooked in advance, makes the beef go a long way and is gorgeous with big salads, or hearty potato dishes such...

Black Cat, Bat & Toothsome Cupcakes

These are surprisingly easy to make – to be quite honest, any combination of ghoulishly coloured icing and lurid sweets will go down well. Let your imagination run wild and get monstrously creative. Pre-heat oven to gas 4/160˚C. Line cupcake...

Creepy Pizzas

If you don’t want to go to the bother of making your own pizza dough, there are kits available (near the ready rolled pastry at most supermarkets), and even part baked pizza bases and tomato topping. They can be circular...

Jack O’ Lantern Chicken Pies

These pies are scarily simple to put together and can be made to suit the size of the pie dishes you have to hand – make cute individual servings or one big pie. These are made with sweet potato and...

Goats’ cheese, nectarine & Parma ham salad

This is a light, but filling and nutritious pasta dish. Anchovy brings a subtle, salty umami taste (undetectable as anchovy), and underpins the flavours – but leave out if you want to make this a vegetarian option.

Blackberry & hazelnut mini baked Alaskas

Hints of autumn suffuse this version of the classic ice-cream cake. I’ve made 4 mini Alaskas here, but the recipe should adapt to one larger (which might stay solid in the middle for longer). This is not difficult to make,...

Lemony linguine with kale, walnuts & anchovy

This is a light, but filling and nutritious pasta dish. Anchovy brings a subtle, salty umami taste (undetectable as anchovy), and underpins the flavours – but leave out if you want to make this a vegetarian option.

Endive, orange & mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing

Endive, orange & mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing This easy salad is so quick to put together and is utterly gorgeous. The slight bitterness of these small red endives complement the sweetness of the orange. Add beautiful creamy mozzarella, and...

Oven roasted cod with feta & Mediterranean vegetables

This one-dish gorgeous garlicky fish recipe is packed with Mediterranean flavours, all prepped in 15 mins! It can happily be assembled in advance on the day and sit in the fridge until you are ready to cook. This serves 4...

Butternut squash with roasted Mediterranean vegetables & goats’ cheese

This is a stunning vegetarian main course that can be made in advance and sat in the fridge ready to go in the oven. You can even roast the squash and veg a couple of days before your guests arrive,...

Hazelnut meringue gateau with strawberry Chantilly cream & berries

This glorious nutty gateau is perfect for entertaining as it can be made a couple of days in advance, and simply assembled before serving. It is not a pavlova, so do not expect a crunchy meringue, but something more chewy....

Turkey Ropa Vieja

Add some zest to your festive spread with Nicci Gurr’s colourful Christmas Turkey Ropa Vieja, inspired by her bountiful smallholding and created using locally sourced and free-range ingredients

Spiral seasonal tart

Add some zest to your festive spread with Nicci Gurr’s colourful Christmas Spiral seasonal tart, inspired by her bountiful smallholding and created using locally sourced and free-range ingredients

Sweet & sour baked ham

Add some zest to your festive spread with Nicci Gurr’s colourful Christmas Sweet & sour baked ham, inspired by her bountiful smallholding and created using locally sourced and free-range ingredients

Coffee and cardamon (no-churn) ice-cream

This is adapted from Diana Henry’s recipe and is the simplest ice cream I’ve ever made. Actually, I don’t make much ice-cream, as the thought of having another kitchen-clogging machine puts me off, but the addition of a single ingredient...

Easy Monkfish curry

This curry can be made with any firm white fish and if you make the sauce in advance and refrigerate overnight (or freeze until needed) it can be made very quickly. Add all the spices and oil to a heavy-based...

Onion and Courgette Bhajis

These bhajis are so simple to prepare and may help to use up any courgettes still lurking out there.

Feasts for Families :: Roast Loin of Lamb with Jersey Royals & Chimichurri

Like many herby sauces, chimichurri transforms plain fish, meat and veggies into show stopping meals. Treat lamb loins like fillet steak – season them generously, sear them and don’t overcook. They are very lean and so require less cooking than...

Feasts for Families :: Spring Risotto

Simple and full of fresh spring flavours, I often make asparagus risotto but decided to bulk this one out with everything green I could lay my hands on. Method Snap off the woody ends from the asparagus and discard them....

Feasts for Families :: Teriyaki Salmon, Noodle & Vegetable Traybake

We all know that eating oily fish is good for you – it’s brain boosting food! Whether it’s the smell, the flavour, the skin – or is it the bones that can sneak in no matter how careful you are...

A Piece of Cake: Banana Loaf

Rope in some extra help – this recipe is great for the kids to get messy with Method: Preheat your oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Oil and line a 2lb loaf cake tin. Put the bananas still in...

A Piece of Cake: Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Cake

To make the crumble:  Put all crumble ingredients into a bowl and rub until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs. To make the cake:  Preheat your oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3. Oil and line 2 x 8 inch spring form...

A Piece of Cake: Cinnamon ‘Breakfast in Bed Cake’

Method: Preheat oven to 160°C, fan140°C, gas 3. Oil and line an 8 inch spring form cake tin. Mix cinnamon, salt and brown sugar in a bowl and leave to one side. Add the lemon juice to the milk. Beat...

Eat Well : Tahini Choc Chip Cookies

The vegan version of these are just as delicious, none of us can decide which we love the most. Store these cakey cookies in an airtight container for 5 days. You could warm them briefly in the oven to give...

Eat Well : Rescue Noodle Soup with Leftover Chicken

There’s nothing quite like a warming bowl of homemade soup to make you feel a thousand times better. If I’ve had a Sunday roast chicken, I make this on a Monday to get a great boost of vegetables in. It’s...

Eat Well: Parsnip Dahl topped with Roasted Parsnips & Pink Pickled Onions

This is ideal to make at the end of the weekend with any leftover root veg that didn’t make it into the Sunday roast. It will set you up nicely for Monday’s dinner – just reheat and top with the...

Fresh Fix: Seville Orange Almond & Polenta Cake

You can make this cake with any oranges, but Sevilles are just coming into the shops for their brief season right now. They’re the best orange for marmalade and for the cake too; bitter, but full of flavour. This cake...

Fresh Fix: Beetroot & Pearl Barley Risotto

Pearl barley contains more protein and dietary fibre than risotto rice and makes risotto into a more nutritious meal. The grains are slightly nuttier and more substantial. Boil the beetroot in a small pan of water for 10-15 mins until...

Fresh Fix: Curried Coconut Cauliflower Steaks

The whitest and creamiest of all the brassicas, cauliflower accepts other flavours well; spices, such as cumin, ginger and turmeric are good in combination and, together with coconut, make this into a comforting plateful. It is vegan, dairy and gluten...

Get the Party Started: Brandy Snap Baskets with Passion Fruit & Mango

Method: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together, remove from the heat and stir in the flour, lemon zest and juice and spices. When cool, use a teaspoon to make balls the...

Get the Party Started: Cheese Soufflé Toast with Cherry Tomatoes

Method: Butter the base of the tin. Remove bread crusts and cut so they completely cover the base of the tin. Season the bread base with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Spread the Cheddar cheese evenly over the...

Get the Party Started: Five-spiced Duck with Plum Sauce & Cape Gooseberries

Method: Preheat oven to 180˚C,350˚F, gas 4. Brush tortilla wrap with oil and cut into 18 squares. Place oil side down in the muffin tin and bake for 10 mins until crisp and dry. Mix the five-spice and honey together....

Get the Party Started: Artichoke Crisps with Black Forest Ham

Method: Preheat the oven to 180˚C,350˚F, gas 4. Slice the artichokes thinly on a mandolin. You’ll need big slices as they will shrink. Toss them in oil and season. Lay the slices on a baking tray and roast for 10-15...

Keep it Local: Recipes

Try these tasty recipes using products manufactured in the Weald Sage & Onion Sausage Stuffing  Stuff your turkey with this delicious festive stuffing, made using Korkers sausages, which have been produced in Rolvenden since 1959.  Method: Fry 2 chopped onions...

Keep it Local

When Kentish baker, Simon Cannell, Managing Director of artisan bakery, Speciality Breads in Margate, decided to open Foodie’s Emporium in Headcorn, he enlisted the help of TV Chef Lesley Waters to help him spread his love for local produce. Here,...

Anna’s Top 10 Christmas Planning & Cooking Tips

1. Book an online shop for all your non-perishable items. With most supermarkets you can do this three weeks in advance; so, for delivery on 23rd, book on 2nd December. As you remember items over the three weeks you can...

Family Values: Irresistible Boxing Day Dish – Festive Pomegranate Molasses & Clementine Ham Hocks

Perfect for Boxing Day (or just to have in the fridge to pick at over Christmas). I prefer cooking ham hocks to a whole ham – their flavour is amazing, yet they’re relatively cheap (about £4 each). The glaze is...

Family Values: Christmas Day Sweet Centrepiece: Fruited Christmas Meringue Wreath

Method: Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C Fan. On a large sheet of baking parchment, draw around a 30cm plate in the middle of the paper. Put the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks are...