Melissa Thompson

Melissa Thompson · Motherland

If you like custard tarts, you will love this. I first had the idea for it a few years ago, while drinking some Guinness punch and wondering if it would translate into dessert form. The answer was a resounding yes. The flavours work really well in a tart and you can adjust the intensity of the Guinness flavour by using slightly less or more. And if you don’t drink alcohol you can use 0% Guinness: it works, I’ve tried. Stout is a really popular drink in Jamaica, with Guinness and Dragon Stout cornering the market. Guinness followed the British Empire — it is also huge in Nigeria — and the company first exported a West Indian porter from Dublin to the island in 1801, with the first export of proper Guinness going out in 1830. Its long-standing history on the island is immortalised in Guinness Punch and this tart takes on those flavours beautifully. The slight bitterness of stout is softened by sweetness here, while the spices in the custard are really reminiscent of the stout itself. Th

Melissa Thompson · Fired Up

This dish is one that I used to serve at my supper club and pop-up restaurant, Fowl Mouths. I could cook the steaks on a proper grill in the kitchen, and it was one of the best sellers. Ponzu is a Japanese citrus-spiked soy sauce. It’s pretty easy to find in bigger supermarkets, and East Asian supermarkets will almost certainly stock it. It brings an umami flavour that’s lifted with the citrus, while the garlic keeps things fragrant and the pepper spices things up. I also add a drop of mirin, which is a sweet Japanese rice wine. It caramelises fast, but because bavette only needs a quick one-two on the coals, the meat is done before there’s risk of burning.

Melissa Thompson

This is a lovely dish that doesn’t have to be reserved for after a meal. It is perfect as a brunch dish that is beautifully reminiscent of actual tiramisu but so much quicker to pull together.