Daffodil Soup London

Here’s another tasty and colourful side dish that works well hot or cold, as an accompaniment to a main meat or fish course or as a vegan or vegetarian option on its own.  It looks stunning on a buffet, too. Today's recipe was devised on the hoof while cooking for a lunch delivery. The main starch element to accompany beef meatballs loaded with sweet onions, parsley and mozzarella, was giant couscous also known as ptitim , or Israeli couscous. It is in effect, pasta, so it takes flavour very well.   Ingredients Serves 4 400g giant/Israeli couscous, wholemeal if preferred 1 bunch raw beetroot  1tbsp poppy seeds 1tbsp nigella (kalonji) seeds  Olive oil to taste Sea salt and black pepper Juice of half a lemon Method To make the puree, peel the beetroot and cut into even-sized chunks. Toss them in a little olive oil with sea salt and black pepper, wrap securely in a foil parcel and roast in the oven at 180C for 60-90 minutes. They should be t

Lazy Sunday mornings were made for these heavenly light American-style pancakes, which we used to call Scotch pancakes or flapjacks whenI was growing up. Now I know flapjacks are something very different indeed, made with oats and golden syrup and lots and LOTS of butter (a recipe for another time).  These clouds of joy are so easy – and if you make up a small container (or ziplock bag) of the dry ingred ients and keep it in your dry store cupboard, it's ready when the urge overtakes you.  The wet mix can then be whisked and the two combined while the frying pan is heating up … job done.   Pimping your pancakes is personal choice: classic blueberries and maple syrup, crisp strips of streaky bacon or pork sausages, simple summer fruit, peanut butter or chocolate spread with crunchy toasted hazelnuts; the options are endless.  Most good supermarkets sell buttermilk, but if you can’t find it you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the same quantity of whole

This is a decadently delicious tart, and a fine example of how a few basic store-cupboard ingredients can quickly deliver on richness, flavour and visual impact. Who doesn’t have a tin of golden syrup in the cupboard (probably out of date but as it’s made from inverted sugar it really does not go off)? You might think using sourdough breadcrumbs in this is an affectation but I did it for two reasons. I make all my own sourdough at home, so I always have leftover crusts and I hate throwing them away. Plus, I was interested to see whether the slight sourness from the crumb would have any flavour impact on the extremely sweet filling. And it does. It adds a dimension that is subtle but noticeable, and improves the balance of flavours. To make it even simpler, you can use shop-bought shortcrust pastry, or even a pre-baked pastry shell (I won’t judge. Or tell).  And if you’re making your own pastry you could substitute dairy-free spread and make it vegan. You could do

 This is one of those recipes that makes you frown at first, trying to get your head around the is-it-a-bread question that leads to the savoury scone/muffin or all-in-one-quiche debate. There is no solution except to make it and draw your own conclusion, which will be that it is delicious! After all, how can a combination of bacon, cheese and leek be wrong? This lovely loaf (or you could bake the mix in muffin tins) is a brunch crowd-pleaser, especially served toasted with a fried or poached egg on top. For lunch it's perfect served as a wedge with a fresh green salad and for a lighter evening meal you won't regret serving it with a bowl of soup or chilli.  Serve with good salted butter (and extra cheese on the side for good measure). This makes a 750g loaf or 10-12 muffins Ingredients 1 medium onion, diced 250g smoked streaky bacon, diced 1tbsp light olive oil 1 leek, finely sliced 225g self-raising flour A pinch of salt  1tsp English musta

I keep a container of the dry mix for this recipe in my cupboard for spontaneous fritter making – everyone should. Most of these ingredients should be in your cupboard, and if not your nearest corner shop will have them all.  These delicious fritters were one of our most popular dishes at the restaurant. They happen to be vegan and gluten free but that was incidental, as they pack a palate-pleasing punch, are satisfyingly crunchy and, when topped with a simple tahini dressing and some toasted seeds, would not be out of place at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.  The most time-consuming element is making up the seasoned chickpea flour, which can be done well in advance. The rest is a work of minutes.   Also, if courgettes aren’t your thing, you can substitute sweetcorn,   grated  parsnip, cauliflower or potato.  Serves 4 500g chickpea (gram) flour  2tsp salt 1tsp freshly ground black pepper 1tbsp ground coriander 2tsp ground cumin 1tsp coriander seeds