This Garlic Lovers Salmon is easy to make on the grill or in the oven, it’s cooked with the most heavenly lemon butter garlic sauce, and it’s always a crowd favorite!
PREP: 7 mins
COOK: 18 mins
Caprese stuffed chicken foil packs can be cooked in the oven, on the grill, or even over a campfire. They're chicken breasts stuffed with tomato, basil, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinegar; placed on top of seasoned veggies; and wrapped up in foil packets.
PREP: 20 mins.
COOK: 25 mins.
The rarebits to end all rarebits; have a go at this comforting leek, smoked cheddar and mustard rarebit recipe with salty crumbled chestnuts for a revamped version of a classic snack.
* Make the rarebit mixture up to a day ahead, then cover and store in the fridge, ready to spoon on and grill.
These uber cheesy, oh-so buttery cheese and herb biscuits are made with parmesan for its unique tanginess. They make a really tasty nibble – although it’s impossible to stop at just one!
Hands-On Time: 45 mins.
Oven Time: 10-12 mins + Chilling
TIPS:
* Choose small, soft herb leaves to press into the top of the biscuits. Add a few chopped leaves to the biscuit dough in step 1, too, if you like.
* Make the biscuits up to 1 day ahead and keep in an airtight container somewhere cool.
Easy comfort food doesn’t come in a finer form than a baked potato. Stuff it with bacon, cheese and soured cream and dig in!
Hands-on Time: 30 mins.
Cook: 1 hr.
MAKE AHEAD:
* Assemble the potatoes up to a day ahead, then cover and chill. Heat through in a hot oven for 20-25 mins to serve.
Baronet is a full-bodied soft cheese from Wiltshire. Try baking it with herbs for a British take on fondue, then dip garlic roast potatoes into the golden, gooey centre.
A cheesy ham bake is a versatile and flexible way to use up Christmas leftovers. Fold greens, turkey or ham into the rich, cheesy sauce.
Hands-On Time: 15 mins. - Oven Time: 30 mins
EASY SWAPS:
* Sub in other roast meat, roasted root veg or smoked salmon for the filling.
* Use whatever cheese you have to hand – blue, smoked cheddar, goat’s cheese, even feta will work. Adjust the seasoning to match, as some cheeses are quite salty.
Decadent three-cheese pides (a kind-of oval Turkish pizza) with fill you with the rich joys of life. The acidity in the salsa verde cuts through the richness.
For the Dough: Hands-On Time - 15 mins + approx 3 hrs Resting & Rising
For the Three-Cheese Pides: Hands-on - 45 mins. Cook - 12 mins
MAKE AHEAD:
* The dough can be made 36 hrs ahead (see recipe here). Prepare the sauce up to 48 hrs ahead, pour into a sealable container and lay cling film directly on the surface to stop a skin forming. Chill until needed, then warm through in a pan or microwave.
KNOW HOW:
* This recipe makes 3 large pides. You can make 4-5 smaller ones and simply use 4-5 eggs as required.
Monica Galetti’s rich ham and cheese toastie is a classic taken to the max: grilled sourdough with cheesy béchamel, extra melted cheddar and parma ham.
TOTAL TIME: 25 mins
TIP:
* You can make the cheese sauce (step 1) 1-2 days ahead. Cool, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to assemble. The sauce will thicken to a spreading consistency when chilled but will loosen up when heated under the grill.
Rarebit is a classic Welsh dish that’s incredibly versatile. It works as a side or a standalone meal and is perfect for brunch – especially if you’re not an egg person. It’s rich and creamy, and we incorporate beer to give that added umami.
TIPS:
* The egg yolk adds richness, but if you’d prefer not to include one just add a little more cream.
* You can make the rarebit mixture up to the end of step 2 and keep it chilled for up to 3 days before sitting it on top of toast and grilling. Great for if you have guests, or to make a double batch and save the rest for another day.
In just half an hour you can have a batch of these smoky, rich, burnished gold savoury Danish pastries, topped with juicy mushrooms, a frisson of parmesan, fresh tarragon and plenty of black pepper. Heaven.
PREP: 15 mins. _ COOK: 15 mins
These Chinese Honey Pork Ribs (蜜汁排骨) may well be the most succulent, melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs you have ever tasted. Find out the secret to achieving that sticky shiny glaze and smoky aroma!
PREP: 15 mins. - COOK: 1 hr 45 mins
You need more than just curry powder for a great Curried Rice! Basmati adds a beautifully nutty aroma to this rice recipe. Spiciness: Warm hum, not overly spicy. Not intended to be a full-on authentic Indian recipe, but leans more towards Indian than unflavourful Western curry recipes (you know the type I mean!)
PREP: 10 mins. - COOK: 20 mins. - RESTING: 10 mins
* Samosas - Moist, spiced potato wrapped in tender, flaky pastry, Samosas are one of the world's great street snacks! Despite this, it's hard to find a great one.
Here I've come up with what is my ideal Samosa – it's just the right size, with the right thickness of flaky pastry and a deliciously moist potato filling, so that every bite is perfect. I've gone all the way and used authentic spices to remain true to this classic, and I daresay the result is better than any restaurant I've been to!
* Tamarind Sauce - This is a quick dipping sauce that goes really well with Samosas. It's slightly tart so it cuts through the richness of the Samosas. Makes ~1.5 cups.
Vegetable fritters can be so bland and uninspiring … but not in the hands of Indian cooks! Pakoras are a traditional Indian street food made with all sorts of vegetables. I've used onion, potato and caulifloiwer, but see Note 5 for other options.
Serve as starter for an Indian menu, light meal or pass around as canapes. They're gluten free and vegan so everybody can enjoy them!
Spiciness: Mild. Large chillies are not that spicy, and we are using 2 across lots of pakoras! Feel free to omit/reduce the fresh chilli and chilli powder.
No deep fry method – See Note 7 for shallow pan-fried version.
PREP: 20 mins. - COOK: 20 mins
A quick chicken dinner that's an explosion of (spicy!) Asian flavours! Make this with chicken breast, boneless thighs or tenderloins.
Spiciness Level: - Spicy but not blow-your-head-off spicy! Remember, I like to think I'm a Spice Monster, but in reality I can't handle the heat (literally!). To dial it back, reduce chilli flakes and see Note 2 about reducing Sriracha.
PREP: 5 mins. - COOK: 8 mins
A very forgiving, very easy way to roast a leg of lamb. It's not the carving sort – the meat is so tender, you can pull it off the bone with tongs. Lamb leg is actually quite lean, so the best way to slow roast a leg of lamb is to partially submerge it in liquid and roast it covered for most of the time. This way, the flesh is infused with flavour and absorbs moisture. You won’t need a knife to carve this. Just pull the meat off the bone with tongs.
PREP: 15 mins. - COOK: 5 hrs 10 mins
The easiest, most succulent roast lamb you'll ever have! This is not the carving sort of lamb, you can just tear the meat off using tongs.
PREP: 5 mins - COOK - LOW: 10 hrs
The quintessential British dessert, summer pudding is traditionally made with a mix of both red and black berries, but using only black fruit gives a beautifully dramatic colour
PREP: 20 mins - TOTAL TIME: 30 mins + Overnight Chilling
GET AHEAD
* Make the summer pudding the day before serving, to let the bread soak fully in the fruity juices. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Inspired by the ice cream van favourite, this cake is made of thin layers of chocolate sponge topped with ice cream and chocolate Flakes - a sliceable version of the nostalgic British summertime treat
PREP: 40 mins - TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 20 mIns
GET AHEAD
* Keeps in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Perk up lamb patties with a herby caper sauce in this easy dinner for two
PREP: 20 mins - TOTAL TIME: 20 mins
WASTE NOT:
* For an easy pasta sauce, chop leftover anchovy fillets and heat them gently with garlic and chilli, then add chopped cherry tomatoes.
A luscious garlic and herb butter under the skin keeps the meat moist during cooking
PREP: 30 mins - TOTAL TIME: 3 hrs 5 mins + Resting
GET AHEAD:
* Allow 2½ days to defrost the turkey in the fridge, or around 24 hrs at cool room temperature. Get the turkey oven-ready the day before roasting.
* Best Served with Golden Ale Gravy - recipe in Christmas - Sides
Golden ale adds a mellow note to gravy made from the rich turkey roasting juices; use cider instead of ale if you prefer
PREP: 15 mins - TOTAL TIME: 20 mins
TIP:
* To give the gravy extra flavour, use a stock made with the turkey giblets.
We’ve the comfort of a Yorkshire pudding, but wanted to freshen up its image with some of our favourite seasonal greens, and the punch and zing of a fantastic rocket pesto. It’s a perfect meal for spring!’ say chefs Joey & Katy
PREP: 25 mins - TOTAL TIME: 50 mins + Standing
GET AHEAD
* The pesto can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If doing a whole turkey for four people seems a lot of work, this is a great, easy substitute. The birds are baked on top of a rich, creamy gratin, so all you need to do is take the tray to the table and serve
PREP: 25 mins - TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 55 mins
GET AHEAD:
Prep the gratin to the end of step 4 the day before, cover and chill. Continue from step 5, baking the gratin for 1 hr initially from chilled before adding the poussins for 45 mins.
WASTE NOT:
* Use a food processor to blitz leftover dried porcini to a powder to use as a seasoning in soups, stews and pasta sauces. Or, for an indulgent side, sprinkle through mashed potato with a splash of cream.
Spicy, tender and juicy, serve this pull-apart lamb with rice or flatbreads for mopping up all the juices
Prep: 25 mins - Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins + Overnight Marinating.
COOKING INDOORS?
Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Place the lamb in a roasting tin, cook for 25 mins initially then turn down to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3, and roast for 2-3 hrs until the meat is falling apart.
GET AHEAD:
* Marinate the lamb the night before. Part-prepare the sauce up to the end of step 5 up to 24 hrs ahead.
Roast your meat and veg together for more flavour - and less washing up! This lamb roast is perfect for an easy Easter lunch.
Prep: 20 mins - Total Time: 5 hrs 50 mins
A traditional daube is a chunky casserole; we’ve taken the flavours and created an all-in-one pot roast, with spring veg in a rich sauce
PREP: 40 mins
TOTAL TIME: 3 hrs 10 mins
In-season plums add a burst of sweetness to this honey mustard-glazed chicken traybake. As the plums bake, they intensify in flavour
PREP: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 mins
GOOD TO KNOW:
* Skinless chicken thigh fillets stay more moist than breast fillets and are usually cheaper. The darker meat is slightly higher in fat but tends to be more flavoursome.
This is such an easy meal, with everything cooked on the one tray so no flavour is lost along the way. Sweet roasted peppers and sausages are topped with gooey cheese and crisp bread that soaks up all of the pan juices - serve with a green salad
PREP: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr
GET AHEAD:
* Prep to the end of step 2, cover with foil and chill until ready to cook.
Chorizo, sweet roasted peppers and olives bring sunny Spanish flavour to this warming all-in-one dish
* Recipe can be easily doubled.
PREP: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 mins
A cheat’s stove-top version of a classic oven-baked dish, with lots of vegetables. If you’re meat eaters, you can add some diced chicken or minced lamb along with the cauliflower
PREP: 15 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINS
Fajitas are the ultimate party food and never more so than here, with this get-ahead version. Spend a little time the night before making a marinade, then all you have to do is pop everything in the oven as your guests are arriving
PREP: 25 MINS
MARINATING: At least 1 hr, Preferably Overnight in the Fridge.
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 20 mins + Cooling + Marinating
GET AHEAD:
- Make and cool the marinade the day before, then marinate the chicken overnight for extra flavour and tenderness.