It’s that strange time of year when we all buy food we’d never normally consider eating. Then we cut it into pretty shapes and leave it on the doorstep to rot. What did the pumpkin do to deserve this? Actually, I’d never turn one into a Halloween lantern, in much the same way as I [...]
Here’s a very quick accompaniment to… well, anything. It’s sort of Japanese style, I suppose, and would probably work well with other types of greens such as pak choi, kale, chard or whatever else is in season. But I had savoy cabbage, so that’s what happened this time. Five minutes to prepare, five minutes to [...]
Shakshuka is a North African breakfast dish of eggs poached in tomato sauce. This is a kind of Italian-ish variation, with chunky vegetables added to make it halfway between the kind of sauce you’d pour over pasta and a ratatouille. Definitely a main meal rather than a breakfast. It’s easy and convenient because it only [...]
In the tradition of exciting Asian dishes like ‘gunpowder shrimp’ and ‘bang bang prawns’ I considered naming these combustible little devils ‘nuclear rolls’. Not because they’re particularly spicy but because of their propensity to explode without warning. The combination of sweetcorn and boiling oil is particularly lethal – think napalm-coated popcorn. One minute it’s gently [...]
I used to have this for breakfast at a hotel on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. The restaurant was supposedly owned by Justin Timberlake, and I guess he can afford to eat like this every day – at $30 a pop, it certainly wasn’t cheap. Or particularly healthy. But it wasn’t my money, and I was [...]
Uncooked beetroot doesn’t have to be as tough as old boots. Grated finely enough, I think it actually tastes a lot better than when it’s cooked – subtly sweet, fresh and very earthy, with a lovely crunchy/chewy texture. It’s a perfect match for carrots and assorted nutty seeds. This recipe has a sweet and tangy [...]