Recipes

Skye McAlpine · A Table For Friends

This recipe is very loosely adapted from the tagliolini baked in a sumptuous Parmesan bechamel that they serve at Venice's iconic Harry's Bar. I first made this at home after I ate it at the restaurant and found myself craving more. What I have discovered since is that it also — like most baked pasta dishes, for that matter — lends itself wonderfully well to large gatherings. Firstly, it's the kind of food that everyone loves. And secondly, it can be made well in advance — even a day or so ahead — covered and stored in the fridge, then simply warmed in the oven until golden and bubbly. If you have vegetarians among your number, leave out the pancetta, which is salty and delicious but not integral, and season the already cheesy sauce with a more generous dash of Parmesan.

Ella Risbridger · The Kitchen Book

We tend to think of lamb as a spring thing — Easter, etc. — possibly because that is when the lambs are hopping and leaping about. It is obvious with even a tiny bit of thought that this makes no sense: the lambs, in spring, are very small. They are hopping and leaping about. They are not the large hefty boys one needs for a leg of lamb. The leg of an actual little lamb is very small, and probably not nearly as nice to eat. Also, while it is possible to feel bad about eating little-lamb-qua-little-lamb because of the small hopping and leaping of it all, I have no real feelings about eating a big hefty autumn boy. This is because when I was a child we had a lot of these autumn boys and they were extremely violent: large mean lads who guarded the garden gate with all the indiscriminate vigour of a drunk bouncer. They were also then, as they are now, extremely delicious. They are especially delicious when you cook them like this: lots of spices, lots of garlic, and anchovies for classic

Alexina Anatole · Sweet

A joyous one-bowl affair that will bring colour and zing to winter days. I love this best with blood oranges, but it could also be made with standard oranges, clementines, grapefruits or lemons (or a mix).

Özlem Warren · Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

I adore simit and it really is the most quintessential Turkish snack. You can have simit for breakfast with a cup of çay (Turkish tea), sliced cucumber, tomatoes, beyaz peynir (our feta) and olives, or you can enjoy them for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Turks mostly prefer savoury accompaniments to simit, although I must say it is also lovely with some butter and jam. Simit has always been so widely available that no one really attempted to make it at home, especially while I was growing up. Moving abroad in my late twenties, I greatly missed simit and was delighted to come across dear Leanne Kitchen’s recipe in her beautiful book, Turkey: Recipes and Tales From the Road. I have adapted Leanne’s simit recipe and have been making simit successfully thanks to her for over 13 years. Each time it brings a huge dose of home and joy back to me. It really is easy to make once you get the hang of the shaping — a popular one at my cookery classes.

Ranie Saidi · The Malay Cook

This is my Malay version of chicken salad and has been my go-to for busy workdays. I love how versatile it is — you can enjoy it hot or cold, with rice, bread or whatever greens you have on hand. Don’t worry about the chilli base; it gives just the right amount of heat, cooked together with lemongrass and cherry tomatoes, all mixed with caramelized onions. The result is sticky, sweet and satisfying. The trick, though, is finding the sweetest tomatoes you can. They really make this simple kerabu sing.

Emiko Davies · Gohan

I absolutely love this way of cooking rice, where you simply put all the ingredients into the one pot together, so the rice absorbs all the flavours and the chicken comes out incredibly tender. It is my ideal comfort food, both to prepare and to eat, as it so easy to do both! Literally meaning ‘cooked with rice’, you can actually put anything you like in this — it is usually a dish where you might find many autumnal (fall) vegetables like mushrooms and chestnuts, as it’s a favourite to make with shinmai (new season rice), which is harvested in the autumn. Although I find it hard to go past this classic shiitake and chicken combination, you could use aburaage or fried beancurd, bamboo shoots, clams or gobo (burdock root — although it can be hard to find outside of Japan). For a bit of richness, add a knob of butter before mixing it all together. To make this vegetarian/vegan, simply omit the chicken and perhaps add a few more different mushrooms or another favourite vegetable. Any lefto

Sheri Castle · Rhubarb

Roasting rhubarb with a little sugar creates glazed pieces that retain their shape and look attractive in this layered dessert. I use this same custard when I make banana pudding, but when I pair it with rhubarb, I can't resist adding a few drops of rosewater to the recipe. I adore the subtle fragrance of rosewater in sweet and fruity recipes, as one often finds in Middle Eastern desserts; however, not everyone appreciates floral flavors in food, so it's fine to replace the rosewater with more vanilla extract instead. When you don't have time to fool with a trifle, just spoon the warm rhubarb over ice cream.

Shaun Hill · Salt Is Essential

This is my favourite potato dish. Jansson is the Swedish equivalent of Jones so the name may well just mean everyone’s temptation. The idea is similar to the French gratin dauphinoise, but with anchovy rather than grated cheese. The result is more savoury than fishy. I use mussel juice when I have it, but any stock, will add to the dish and if you have no stock then water and a little of the pickling liquor will be fine, as would plain milk. The anchovies called for are the silvery jobs rather than the brown ones, but either or both together will produce a creditable result. Spanish boquerones would be perfect, if these are easier to find. All give a fine, if slightly different, result. The finished dish should be a touch crisp. If it helps, then either a sprinkling of fresh breadcrumbs or a few dots of butter across the top will achieve that effect. Watch out for the seasoning. Anchovies are salty, so put in less than you would for a gratin dauphinoise.

Emelia Jackson · Some Of My Best Friends Are Cookies

The fun, floral aroma from the baked honey (which caramelises in the oven and transforms into something magical) with the nutty, almost savoury hum of the sesame tahini is a delightful combination. This is a simple drop cookie that’s been amped up with some seriously moreish, adult flavours. These are great with a strong coffee, and also make the perfect vehicle for an ice-cream sandwich.

Justin Tsang · Long Day? Cook This

Fish and rice for breakfast may seem odd, but in Japan it’s probably the most common breakfast you’ll see! What better way to get the day started than a load of carbs and fish. Steamed white rice and perfectly flaky salmon flakes with a rich ginger and sesame sauce over the top is a heavenly way to kick off your morning.

Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung · The Woks of Life

This recipe is for anyone who still isn't convinced of the wonders of tofu. With a crispy, pan-fried sesame-seed coating, anyone who insists tofu is bland and boring will think again. As with anything golden brown and crispy, you'll want something fresh or acidic to go with it. The herby, spicy, garlicky dipping sauce here fits the bill perfectly. Hot oil is poured over the minced garlic, chili flakes, and herbs to release and mellow their flavors before the other sauce ingredients are mixed in. This technique is common when making Chinese dipping sauces and dressings. Serve this tofu alongside some stir-fried greens and rice, and dinner is set.

Ben Lippett · How I Cook

It’s good to have a flatbread recipe in the locker. The resulting bread is super soft, pillowy and has a lovely chewy, crunchy texture thanks to the semolina. It’s a really versatile flatbread and can be topped or served with a whole host of different garnishes.

Selina Periampillai · The Island Kitchen

Think of plump, boozy raisins clothed in a soft, sweet, warm bread pudding with a golden crust. The orange zest, floral vanilla, caramelised sugar and hint of rum make this dessert an indulgent celebration of island flavours. Itʼs great to use any leftover or stale bread for this, whether it is baguettes (typically used), a sliced white loaf, croissants or brioche. Cut into generous portions, the pudding can be served warm or cold.

Cynthia Shanmugalingam · Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka

On our first few days in Colombo at the start of the holidays when we were children, we always wanted to eat all that we couldn’t back in England: milk hoppers from that van guy at the Bambalapitya flats, sticky mangoes from Wellawatte market, crunchy fried falafels of shrimp vadai bought at the seaside at the Galle Face. Our Colombo cousins were deeply, deeply unimpressed at this boring and earnest traditionalism, disappointed that we were so square that we could not bring even stories of burgers or pizza from home. I don’t know who we thought we were kidding, but we sort of doubled down on our own hot air, and pretended that we thought the fast food joints that began opening in Colombo in the Nineties – KFC, Pizza Hut and, of course, McDonald’s – were gross. And so it wasn’t until my twenties that I walked guiltily into a cool, air-conditioned McDonald’s on Galle Road and inhaled that unmistakable whiff of French fries. Behind the smiling staff in hairnets, I eyed up the board and

Ixta Belfrage · FUSÃO

This impressive starter comes together in less than 10 minutes. I love the sweet, buttery flavour of raw scallops, but you can pan-fry them if you prefer. To do this, dry the scallops well and season generously with salt. Heat butter and olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on a high heat and cook the scallops for 3 minutes on the first side, pressing down to form a golden brown crust, then for 1 minute on the other side. The vinagrete pairs beautifully with all kinds of seafood – spoon it over oysters or serve it alongside grilled prawns or fish. And feel free to experiment with other sweet citrus in the vinagrete – tangerine, clementine, orange, blood orange, for example. Just make sure whatever you’re using is sweet and ripe. When a dish contains so few ingredients it’s incredibly important that those ingredients are of good quality, so avoid bland, underripe citrus.

Mandy Yin · Simply Malaysian

My mother’s meal rotation would often include this standard bearer Chinese home-style dish. It is easy to digest, protein-rich and brilliant for young and old alike. The trickiest part of this dish is getting the water-to-egg ratio correct – all you need to remember is that it is 2:1. Combining room-temperature and just-boiled hot water also speeds up the cooking time. So, for example, if your 4 eggs, once beaten, measure 200ml (scant 1 cup), then you’ll need 200ml (scant 1 cup) of room-temperature water and 200ml (scant 1 cup) of hot water. Shallot Oil goes very well with this dish, but if you don’t have it, sesame oil will do.

Jane Lovett · The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook

Far easier and quicker than it looks, this festive pull-apart wreath always goes down a storm, as sausage rolls do! With a salad, it makes a lovely lunch or supper, too.

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich · Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant

There is nothing like a market stall piled high with cabbages in a huge variety of shades from pure white to bright lime green or deep purplish red. Some may be larger than your head, their huge leaves used for stuffing; some may be small and crunchy and perfect for salad; some may be more fibrous, lending themselves to slow stewing. White cabbage is possibly the most underrated of all, but we absolutely love it. This is hands down the best way to eat any cabbage. You don’t even really need the dressing if you don’t fancy it – just grill a cabbage and eat it.

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich · Honey & Co At Home: Middle Eastern Recipes from our Kitchen

This can be served at the start of a meal or at the end of it, as a very special cheese course — the nutty, crumbly pastry and the oozy, melting cheese inside make for a timeless combo. You can make the relish here, it's easy enough, or use any fruity chutney you like. Change the fruit with the seasons — grapes work well, as do poached pears or quince, but figs, of course, are always the best.

Sarah Raven · Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook

Putting fruit in a salad may seem a bit retro but, don't worry, this salad looks beautiful and is ideal as a light winter first course when you're heading towards a rich meaty main. A squeeze of lemon with the orange juice in the dressing sharpens it up and gives it the strength to stand up to the bitterness of the leaves. To make the salad more substantial, add roasted walnuts.

Sara Forte · The Sprouted Kitchen

We need only a few details.

Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley · Falastin: A Cookbook

Kofta - meat patties - are something of an obsession throughout the Middle East. These meat patties can be baked, fried, grilled, braised; stuffed into pita and drizzled with tahini; or baked in a tomato sauce and served with rice. This version, baked with tomato, is a simple meal, to comfort - perfect for a midweek supper served with some bread or rice to mop up the juices - rather than to wow with its elegant looks.

Sam and Sam Clark · Morito

Morito rolls came about in an effort to replicate the delicious molletes most famously produced from a 200-year-old recipe in Antequera, in the province of Malaga. Their character is a moist chewy roll that is deliciously crunchy when toasted. Perfect for all our needs.

Natalie Paull · Beatrix Bakes Another Slice

This cookie tastes like a narcissistic chorus line of citrus, salt and sugar vying for the lime (insert soft eye-roll) light. Let them duke it out and enjoy the full-tilt sherbetty tongue tingle. I like just a whisper of the frosting so the sandwich is more cookie than cream, but there’s some extra frosting if you prefer the converse ratio. This is a great recipe to use up those limes that have ripened to yellow — their humble acidity brings a touch of class to the show. The dough is counterintuitive to mainstream cookie techniques, but it gives these a buttery brittle snap; it’s a cinch to roll while cold and they hold great shape when baked.