Category: Winter

Pork Belly with Aromatics

The smell as this cooks will make you drop to your knees. It is hunger-inducing!

Leeks – all you need to know and then some …

Most of us have heard of cock-a-leekie (a Scottish soupy stew made with chicken and leeks) but hat-a-leekie is something else. Why anyone would want to wear a leek in their hat is beyond me, but not to the Welsh who claim the leek as their national symbol – all to do with a bunch of …

Potato Mash

This is creamy, buttery and as soft as pillows. Mmmmm …

Potato & Eggplant Moussaka

This is so good you’ll want to scrape the dish for every last morsel. Get cooking it this weekend, or anytime soon.

Brussels Sprouts with Sizzled Sage

Little green buds never looked so appetizing!

Garlic Croûtons

Crunchy crusts add contrast to smooth soups. Way to go!

Winter Warmers

If you are feeling a pinch in your tootsies, and your nose is a bit Rudolph-like, you need to get cooking so you fill your house with inviting smells and draw everyone into the warm kitchen to sup, sip and be merry. Here you go then, some ideas to warm you up: Crispy Broccoli & […]

Kiwifruit Salsa

A handy little salsa to add a juicy sweet hot bite to your meals – try it spooned into the hollows of halved avocados.

Pink Salad – something to cheer you up

More. More. Give me MORE!

Ilaria’s Spicy Tomato Dal

Punchy heat in fire-engine red in the form of a spicy tomato dal – dig in!

Best-ever Roasted Parsnips with Crispy Parmesan & Garlic

Crank up the oven and get these roasting … best treatment for parsnips ever!

Spicy Fish with Curry Leaves

Rev up your midweek meals with a spicy fish curry.

Greek Pastitso

This is a big mamma of a baked pasta dish, perfect for those times when you need to feed a crowd.

Lamb Shanks with Mint & Date Stuffing

I make these in a slow cooker, but you could cook them slowly in a deep heavy-based casserole. Oh, and these are exquisite by the way.

Butterflied Shoulder of Lamb & Preserved Lemon Pickle

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder that falls apart with a fork and spoon. Gorgeous!

Preserved Lemon Pickle

Add a salty tang to your next dish of slow-cooked lamb with a quick preserved lemon pickle.

Pappardelle with Artichokes, Sage & Cream

Fat noodles with a creamy artichoke sauce topped with crispy sage leaves … sounds good to me!

Chili con Carne with extras!

Time to chase away winter blues and spice things up!

Cashew Kumara Saag

Spicy and warming, Ilaria’s got just the thing for cold nights!

Beetroot & Walnut Dip

Beetroot adds such a shock of colour to a table set with nibbles and drinks. Bring it on!

Beetroot – multi coloured!

Candy-coloured beetroot will turn heads at your next gathering.

Brussels Sprout Leaves – looking perfectly perky!

You have to admit these look pretty cute, all bright and shiny. Go on, give them a go! Cheap, abundant and oh so good for you.

Comfort Me With Potatoes

A jacket-baked potato is like swallowing a warm glow of happiness that spreads from the pit of your stomach upwards, leaving nothing but pleasure in its wake.

Stuffed Butternut – bring it on midweek!

Mince is your midweek friend. Spice it up! Serve it up! Gobble it up!

Mulled Wine & Vin Brûlée

Take a thermos of mulled wine to a picnic and they’ll come running!

Get Mulling – read all about it

There’s nothing like a warming alcoholic drink to kick-start an evening, clear up the snuffles or warm the cockles of your heart on a chilly night. There’s a little bit of magic created when you heat wine with spices and citrus to make mulled wine. Whether you serve it bright and clear, sharp and sweet, […]