Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad with Harissa-style dressing
- Taken out of the oven: August 07 2010
Delia Smith has definitely got to be one of my food heroes (heroines if you prefer). When I arrived from Australia in the UK in 1992 I had not heard of Delia, but after a couple of years soaking up the culture and getting used to the different cuisine, I was hooked on her simple and fool-proof recipes. By simple, I definitely don't mean dull. To this day I refer to her website DeliaOnline.com whenever I want to find something different and reliable that isn't going to be ridiculously hard to re-produce.…
Chicken & Chorizo Cassoulet
- Taken out of the oven: July 17 2010
It was a night like any other in the Bilby household. Having finished a day's work, I was less than enthusiastic about whipping up a meal, but wanted to eat something that made me happy. What a dilemma. I'm the kind of person who keeps a lot of beans, lentils and rice products in their store cupboard thank goodness, and it's on nights like this that I end up reaching for them. This recipe is a result of grabbing things randomly out of the fridge and drawers. I'm never quite sure what to do with…
Spicy Sausage & Creamy Lemon Penne
- Taken out of the oven: July 03 2010
My favourite food magazine has always been Waitrose Food Illustrated (now Waitrose Kitchen). Any publication that wins awards for it's typography is OK by me. I have a background in typesetting so I'm partial to a decent bit of text layout and design. Over the years I have collected many of these magazines and the recipes are always beautifully presented and fairly easy to prepare. So, back to the food. This recipe combines a host of wonderful flavours including sausage, lemon, cream, Parmesan…
Moroccan Chicken Pie
- Taken out of the oven: May 27 2010
Cast your mind back to good ole February 2005 - over 5 years ago now. I can't quite remember what I was doing, but I know that I picked up a wonderful recipe card for Moroccan Chicken Pie from Waitrose that month, because I still have it now. I have always loved Moroccan food. It comes a very close 3rd behind Italian and Thai as my favourite cuisine. I have also always loved pies. There can be no better combination than the two of these for me. Some pies can be a little heavy so they are often…
Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
- Taken out of the oven: April 11 2010
Having just got back from Australia I am full of the joys of food. Whilst away I bought my BFF (Best Food Friend) a fabulous cookbook from the Women's Weekly range called Easy Baking. Women's Weekly cookbooks have been around forever and a day so I'm very familiar with them, but they have given their books a design overhaul in the last few years and they now look great. More Nigella, then Mrs Beeton shall we say. This one is full of slightly different recipes to those you might find in UK baking…
Roast Duckling with Mushroom Risotto
- Taken out of the oven: February 08 2010
Michael Caines is a West Country food legend - a 2 star Michelin chef who has an immaculate pedigree when it comes to producing very classy food. He is Executive Chef at both the Gidleigh Park Hotel and sister establishment the Bath Priory, as well as co-ordinating his eponymous restaurants at the Abode Hotels located in Exeter, Manchester, Glasgow and Canterbury. I came across this recipe in a booklet produced by Michael Caines Restaurants many years ago. It appealed because I think that a recipe…
Warm Jersey Royal Potato Salad
- Taken out of the oven: February 07 2010
Taken from a Waitrose Quick and Easy recipe card, this is a wonderful summer salad that is full of flavour and wonderful ingredients such as lardons, asparagus and of course, Jersey Royals. It's quite healthy, but doesn't leave you wishing you had eaten a burger with it. It's perfect for lunch, but if you aren't feeling up to preparing an extravagant dinner it will most certainly do as a treat for two!
Chillies stuffed with Mushrooms & Spinach
- Taken out of the oven: January 28 2010
Way back in February 1998 I came across this Nigel Slater recipe in the Sainsbury's Magazine. I have made this a few times and it is just the ticket for a cold winter evening. The spices and coconut milk give it a wonderful exotic Thai feel, but the large, mild Anaheim chillies are not very hot, so you can control the heat by reducing the amount of crushed chillies that Nigel suggests.
Pork Belly Casserole
- Taken out of the oven: January 27 2010
Just before Christmas my good friend JG gave me a book called The Green Kitchen, by Richard Ehrlich. Richard writes a regular column for The Times by the same name. The book offers techniques and recipes for cutting energy use, saving money and reducing waste in the kitchen. It also contains quite a few recipes, my current favourite being the Pork Belly Casserole. Pork Belly is not exactly the leanest of meat, but it makes for a fantastic winter warmer and the flavours are great.
Sausage and Puy Lentil Casserole
- Taken out of the oven: January 21 2010
Who on earth doesn't like sausages? They are a serious weakness of mine. I know that some people have a problem with the horrid pink 'sausages' that contain very little meat and that is absolutely understandable, but with most good butchers and supermarkets now selling their own good quality sausages there is no reason not to give them a second chance. This recipe came from the Sainsbury's Magazine some years ago. I've made it on countless occasions and it never let's me down.
Blueberry Trifle
- Taken out of the oven: January 15 2010
Back in August 2005, I picked this recipe up in Waitrose. Primarily I was drawn to the preparation time which is 15 minutes - this will always turn my head. It is a bit of a cheat, but I think this is a huge positive. Don't think because it is simple it won't be delicious. This is a great Christmas alternative to traditional pud as it doesn't take long and relieves a little bit of the panic on the day.
Spiced Coconut Lamb with Coriander
- Taken out of the oven: January 13 2010
Taken from the Sainsbury's Magazine back in December 1999, this recipe is relatively easy to put together. The spices are subtle, making it mild, but still very tasty. I have made this on several occasions and enjoyed it every time.
Gammon with Mustard Dill Sauce
- Taken out of the oven: January 10 2010
I am a massive ham fan, be that gammon, pancetta, bacon or any other variety. Back in February 1996, this little gem crossed my path in the Sainsbury's Magazine. I have made this time and time again, in fact just last night, and it is incredibly easy - yet another perfect mid-week meal. Serve this up with boiled baby new potatoes and salad.
BBQ Chicken with Maple Syrup
- Taken out of the oven: January 10 2010
This is a Delia Smith recipe that I have been cooking for the last 12 years. It was published in the 1997 Delia Smith Comic Relief Red Nose Collection of recipes and I instantly loved the sound of it. Anything that has maple syrup in it has got to be good. It is also in her Delia Smith: The Collection book so I'm sure that quite a few of you already know about it. It's a pretty straightforward meal that works any time of the year with rice, salad or vegetables.
Cranachan with Raspberries
- Taken out of the oven: January 03 2010
Cranachan is a traditional Scottish dessert, which I discovered for myself back in 2002. Obviously millions of Scots will be chuckling at my late introduction, but in case you haven't come across it yourself as yet, it's simple, special and definitely worth having a go at. I have made this whilst on holiday in a castle outside of Campbelltown for a party of about 15 as well as for a large wedding party and both times it went down a treat. It's an easy one for large groups. This recipe serves a…
Lamb & Bacon Burgers with Curry Sauce
- Taken out of the oven: January 03 2010
Nigel Slater is the man that needs to take the credit for this recipe. I found it in the Sainsburys Magazine in August 1997 and it was a firm favourite for a long time. This can work as a small, mid-week meal or a weekend feast as it isn't overly complicated to put together. It is spicy enough to be interesting, but not too much for those that like their food relatively simple.
Schroeder’s German Red Cabbage
- Taken out of the oven: January 03 2010
Schroeder's German Red Cabbage is a recipe I picked up out of the American cookbook of a friend. It is a recipe she would cook regularly around Christmas time and I loved it so much I had to have it. There is a German restaurant in San Francisco called Schroeders and I believe that this is their recipe. Anyway, this is great served with mashed potato and just about any meat you can think of although ham is my personal favourite.
Pumpkin Filo Pie
- Taken out of the oven: January 03 2010
The origins of this recipe are completely unknown to me now. Like most cooks I have recipes dotted all over the house, written in notebooks, shoved into folders and loose in drawers. I remember this to be a fantastic recipe with lots of my favourite flavours - cumin, goats cheese, sage and walnuts with a kick of chilli. To top it off it's very easy so makes a great mid-week meal that tastes special enough to feel like a treat.
Greek Style Kohlrabi
- Taken out of the oven: January 03 2010
I began looking for Kohlrabi recipes on the internet when I had my first one in a veg box about 3 years ago. I had no idea what to do with it so desperately needed some help. I apologise for not remembering where I found this, as I can't give credit where it is due, but I hope you enjoy it. The combination of fresh pears, dates and feta cheese is perfect.
Festive Christmas Ham
- Taken out of the oven: December 31 2009
I have been cooking this ham for nearly 10 years now and I still love it - I guess if you keep something special and only do it once a year you don't lose the magic. The glaze melts down into the Marsala and apricot sauce and the whole thing tastes incredible. I have to say a big thank you to Antony Worrall Thompson for this as it is a Christmas staple that I just can't do without.
Beef and Ale Casserole
- Taken out of the oven: December 31 2009
This is a wonderful winter dish that is fabulous served with creamy mashed potato and, if you are that way inclined which I am, a glass of red wine. It's not flashy or up to the minute, but more a traditional, cosy and reliable favourite that should go down a treat with good friends.
Cantuccini Biscotti
- Taken out of the oven: December 19 2009
My partner JC had got his hands on a brand new Gaggia Classic coffee machine and was seriously perfecting his Americanos and lattes, so I felt it only right that I find a decent biscotti recipe to complement said brew. This one is from chef Jim Fisher who runs cooking classes in the Dordogne. It worked well the first time and hasn't let me down since. I get very positive comments every time I dish them out.