Recipes

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Express

This weekend breakfast favourite can, frankly, be eaten at any time of the day with equal relish and has also in its favour that children (who in my experience would probably eat anything if it had pesto in it) love it. This is entirely proper, of course, given that — very obviously — the recipe is inspired by Dr Seuss.

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Bites

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

Strictly speaking, I don

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Express

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Summer

Nigella Lawson

The aniseed flavour that underscores this fabulously-easy baked squid and orzo pasta dish is gentle enough not to frighten away any but hardcore fennelphobes and, even then, I have surprised those who profess aniseed-antagonism with just how well it goes down. And it’s joyously simple to make, too: all it takes is a little desultory chopping and stirring, and then it cooks itself in the oven, until the squid is so tender that the lightest touch of a spoon cuts through it.

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Summer

A Greek Salad in the summertime is one of those classic dishes that needs no tinkering. And yet, I confess tinkering is just what I have done here. The only substantial alteration I’ve made to the traditional recipe is to substitute the cucumber with fennel. I find the cucumbers one gets here are all too often tasteless and watery and end up contributing little, making the lettuce soggy to boot. But I also do my usual trick of steeping the onion (here, in vinegar and a little dried oregano) to lessen its rasp. Please bear in mind that this should be done at least two hours in advance, though you could easily set them a-steeping in the morning for lunch or dinner that day, or even the night before. And I add oil at the same time, which really means your dressing is done and ready. But otherwise, it’s a Greek Salad as you might expect and desire: full of crunch and flavour and punctured by salinity, which is provided generously by both the feta and the olives. If you can get hold of a good cucumber, by all means go for it, although I know I’d miss the gently aniseed crispness of the fennel. But then, I’ve been making it my way for so long, it’s hardly surprising I feel like this. And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Express

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

One quick gulp of a cold, sharp margarita and I feel I

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Bites

Nigella Lawson · How To Be A Domestic Goddess

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Express

Goujons have fallen from grace, but it is hard to work out why. The crunch of the breadcrumb casing, the tender, yielding softness of the white fish within: this is a fish finger taken to the highest level. If you can find the Japanese seasoned breadcrumbs, panko, then get them: they create an almost feathery but crunchy casing. The traditional accompaniment is a sauce tartare, but my favourite sauce is a dill mayonnaise, with perhaps some cornichons heaped on a plate nearby. Consider these a fabulously quick starter when you

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson

This is the fruity blonde sister to that brunette temptress, my chocolate fruit cake from Nigella Christmas. It delivers, as promised, a cake of apricot-pear-and-ginger goldenness and goodness, so squidgy and fresh-tasting, which comes perhaps not only from the amount of fruit in it, but also the lack of flour: this is a gluten-free treat for the greedy; fruit cake with the emphasis firmly on the first word. The lack of flour makes for an exquisitely damp cake, but it does mean that unless you cut it into quite fat slices, it can break into fruity pieces rather than geometrically precise triangles. This is why it tastes so good of course. And, what’s more, it makes a fantastic pudding at the end of a seasonal supper. This recipe is perfect for those of you who would prefer a change from the usual marzipan and icing covered Christmas Cake.

Nigella Lawson · Nigella Summer