Miso Eggplant – Japanese-Inspired Glazed Aubergine

 Few vegetables absorb flavour quite like eggplant. In this dish, silky roasted aubergine meets the deep umami of miso, soy sauce, sesame and a touch of sweetness. The result is rich, glossy and intensely savoury — somewhere between Japanese comfort food and modern fusion gastronomy.

This version takes inspiration from traditional Japanese nasu dengaku while adding a more refined plating style, perfect as a starter or elegant side dish.

Quadratto Pasta, Chilli, Garlic and Parsley

This vegetarian treat is based on the Italian classic (aglio e olio), dried pasta cooked with chilli, garlic and parsley.  Then, I heard of adding toasted crumbs (from a real Italian) and some tomato juice happened to be in the fridge.  The furtive culinary brain suddenly has a plan.

We have a chilli, garlic, tomato and parsley sauce (parmesan being optional and was most welcome).  The plated pasta was topped with toasted sundried tomato crumbs.

A meal fit for both a king and queen (and a classic with a few cheerful harmonious twists).  Furthermore, you can scratch cook it in 20 minutes.

Tip: good quality dried pasta is relatively inexpensive and holds up well when finished in the sauce.

Welsh Rarebit, Fancy Cheese on Toast

(We have the rarebit on potatoes here too, a last minute thought that didn't disappoint).

I grew up in Shropshire, a large English county that borders Wales.  This, I think, gives me some credibility for sharing Welsh Rarebit.  I mentioned it to Loïc, who surprised me by sharing the dish had made it's way over to Belgium so we 'plotted' and today, we're doing a joint Welsh Rarebit post.

Carrot and Peanut Salad (it works)

A super simple, vegan salad made with carrots cut into mini batons.  There are very few ingredients in the salad, add salted peanuts to the carrots, parsley (optional green chilli, if you have the urge) followed by a vinaigrette dressing that includes pure sesame oil (good twist).

Very finely chopped parsley really finishes the dish admirably.

This is both a simple and tasty salad, it's a favourite, which inevitably means there are a few swaps and suggestions.  Finally, the ingredients are readily available in many places.

How to serve?  

It's a great salad for a family gathering or offered with a Middle Eastern/North African selection of plates.  I enjoyed it with chorizo and manchego pizza today.

Vegetarian Dhansak, fragrant spices

The first time I made this, it was originally a Chicken Dhansak.  Then, after tasting, there was a prompt declaration 'didn't require chicken.'  Chicken has not featured thereafter.

The spices really sent this off the charts and I added a soft boiled egg as egg and curry flavours work so well together.

The soft(ish) boiled egg was pricked lightly at the wider end and simmered for 6.5 minutes at sea level. After dousing in cold water and cooling,  peel the shell under gently running tap water.  Perfect, there's more though, the egg is only a garnish

A lovely fragrant spice paste with fresh ginger and garlic, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, black pepper, fennel, green chillies and red chilli powder starts us off.  (The original recipe suggested fenugreek seeds that I've never owned and some cinnamon that was forgotten).

Green birds eye chillies add both extra heat and a welcome touch of sour.

Whole red lentils are also a favourite, split would also be fine...

Onwards and upwards..

Turkish Mastabe – Creamy Yogurt with Pomegranate, Toasted Almonds and Olive Oil

A bowl of thick yogurt, a drizzle of good olive oil, a handful of vibrant toppings — sometimes the simplest dishes are the most satisfying. Mastabe is one of those humble preparations that feels both rustic and elegant at the same time.

This Turkish-style yogurt dish celebrates contrast. The yogurt is cool, creamy and slightly tangy. The pomegranate seeds burst with sweetness and acidity. Toasted almonds add warmth and crunch, while sesame seeds bring a nutty aroma. A final drizzle of olive oil ties everything together.

It is the kind of dish that works beautifully as a mezze, a light starter or even a refreshing side alongside grilled meats or flatbreads. Visually striking and incredibly simple to prepare, mastabe proves that a few good ingredients can go a long way.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup with Paneer Croutons

An Indian spiced lentil and sweet potato soup met marinated paneer 'croutons.'

I couldn't resist some sourdough baguette and butter either.

The soup is spiced more than hot, fragrant with ginger, onion, chilli, cumin, turmeric and coriander.  Basic spices, tasty ones too.

Paneer is cubed and marinated in ground cardamom, mint, lemon juice and a few more spices then wok fried on parchment.

Parchment is great, it works for frying fish too, prevents sticking and makes for easy clean-up.  The wok can't help adding a touch of smoke either (never a bad thing).

This is all very simple and surprisingly tasty.  Freeze some soup and when a day over-runs, guess what?  Grab some soup, microwave and feel nourished until dinner time.

Linguini with Lemon and Courgette

A simple and quick mid-week italian supper can still be tasty.  We also have a professional tip for preparing the courgette/zucchini.

The courgette is Julienned (matchsticks, as long as the courgette is straight) and lightly salted to remove moisture.  After 20 minutes, the courgette is almost rubbery, in a good way.  Then, when we cook it with linguini, both will wind around the fork happliy together (like they just got married).

Georgio Locatelli shared this preparation in a food magazine I bought, he served the courgette with tomato and anchovy.  Here, I just used the same method with a different sauce.

There are aromats, lemon and chilli, black pepper, white wine, crème fraiche and garlic. Let's not forget pecorino cheese for the Italian umami hit.

Tip: I like to use small to medium courgettes here, there's no spongy center to discard and more green from the skin (looks pretty on the plate).  

Campfire Sweet Potatoes, Indoors

A rainy February week and I fancied camp fire roast sweet potato.  Neither my London terrace or the weather were helpful.  A little re-thinking was needed.

I pricked the potatoes and sprinkled with smoked salt. They were microwaved until tender (approximately 5 minutes in total, 3 separate bursts).

Then, a drizzle of avocado oil and on to the gas flame.

You can see the flame is low.  I enjoyed trying to balance the potato whilst moving it to char in different places.

The sweet potato finished up tender, slightly crisped on the outside and smoky.  Exactly what I hoped for. 

What to serve with?   Chilli of course, or taco soup..or load them up with your favourite toppings.

Chilli mains:

Beef Shin and Butternut Squash Chilli

Taco Soup

Another favourite potato side:

Perfectly Smashed Potatoes

Spiced Veg Salad with Cheese and Black Lentils

A rare vegetarian salad from us that is also a true favourite of mine.

We have carrot, squash and pink onion 'chunked' and pan roasted with hot smoked paprika and cumin. (Any onion is fine, mine just happen to be pink).

Diced cheshire cheese, a crumbly and salty cows milk cheese, made near to where I grew up (think Manchester United football players homes and you're in the right region of the U.K). 

Cooked black 'caviar' lentils.  These are great,  they cook in around 20 minutes from dried and keep their shape/texture.

A dressing of cider vinegar (orange and/or lemon juice would be fine), salt, pepper, honey, olive oil.

I love a plated salad, it makes me feel French, a great nation for rocking a salad.  The French trick is to season the dressing well, I find if my dressing lacks sour, first add a touch of salt and taste again. 

Asparagus Flemish style

 Introduction

This is one of Belgium’s most emblematic spring dishes. Flemish-style asparagus is all about restraint: pristine white asparagus, perfectly cooked, dressed with melted butter, chopped hard-boiled eggs and fresh parsley. This recipe truly respects the delicate flavour of the asparagus.

Ingredients (2 servings)

White asparagus (about 500 g)

2 eggs

80 g unsalted butter

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Salt

White pepper or mild black pepper

Optional: a squeeze of lemon (very discreet)

Nettle soup

 This nettle soup is a simple, rustic dish rooted in countryside cooking. Earthy, gently herbaceous, and surprisingly delicate, it’s the kind of soup that proves how humble wild ingredients can become something comforting and refined with very little intervention.

Young nettles have a flavour somewhere between spinach and wild greens, with a slightly mineral edge. Once cooked, the sting disappears completely, leaving a soft, vegetal depth that pairs beautifully with potato and a touch of cream.

Tortellini in Spinach and Tomato sauce

I know, in Italy Tortellini is usually served in brodo (in broth) and mine is in a tomato 'soup.'

I like it, particularly with spinach and ricotta tortellini.  There's onion and spinach in the soup and the selling point,  we cook the totellini in the liquid thus it's a one pot dish.

Bonus Points for efficiency here.

Paneer Stuffed Pepper

Let's start with a picture.

A fragrant, spiced Indian vegetarian treat with paneer.  We start by making the sauce with onions, spices, tomatoes, paneer, cream and peas.  Lob the sauce into into roasted peppers and grill/broil.  A little extra sauciness served 'on the side'  is never a bad idea,

We're plating here with cooked Basmati rice.  Always a pleasure and never a chore.

Another lovely dish of whole greater than sum of the parts (smashing).

Reclining monks with spinach

A comforting Alpine gratin with spinach, pasta rolls and creamy béchamel

Introduction

I discovered moines allongés in a small restaurant in the Alps — a simple, old-school gratin made from pasta (or crêpes), rolled with spinach and cheese, covered in béchamel, and baked until golden. It’s straightforward, rustic, and exactly the kind of mountain food I love: flavourful, filling, and based on good ingredients rather than complicated tricks.

Perfectly Smashed Potatoes

I'm so proud of this.

Yes please!  These were finished in my little pan and would serve two as part of a main.

The trick, or luck is to cook salad potatoes (Aldxandria here) until tender enough to just squash with the bottom of a glass. Ideally we would like the potato to hold it's shape so there is little potato 'fall out' (technical term).

Then simply add 1/2 TBSP of butter, a sprinkle of salt flakes and rosemary.  Fry over a low heat for around 5 minutes, flip once.

Absolutely lovely with fish.

Try with Loïc's Baccala for lunch:

baccala mantecato with crispy polenta

Salad! Beets, Blue Cheese and Apple

We have a meat free salad, however, rest assured there are welcome carbohydrates. 

I like the naturally sweet beets, crunchy apple, creamy cheese and tangy dressing.  It works!

Chopped eating apple and cooked beets with blue cheese on microwaved bulghur wheat.  A dressing of cider vinegar and olive oil, seasoned well with salt and pepper finishes the dish.

Please ignore any instructions imploring bulghur wheat should be boiled in a saucepan.  Simply rinse the wheat (around 50g per person) and add 1/4 cup of water per 50g of wheat.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir and decide if a little more cooking is required.

Swiss fondue with chanterelles

Few dishes capture Swiss mountain comfort like a proper moitié-moitié fondue. Traditionally a blend of Gruyère and Vacherin melted slowly with Fendant and finished with a touch of Kirsch, this version gets elevated with the flavour of fresh chanterelles. Their deep, woodsy aroma transforms the fondue into something richer, more complex, and utterly wintry.

This recipe can be made with cornstarch (maizena) or with a light blond roux. Both work, both are authentic depending on the canton. The important thing is one rule: low heat, patience, and good wine. Fendant in the pot, and Fendant in the glasses.

Carrot and Chickpea Tagine

Loïc inadvertantly challenged me here... and I vowed this dish would be 'pretty.' 

Not bad?  Parsley saved the day (I think).

I made this for a vegetarian friend who is now a vegan.  His response, "its tasty...but I eat quite a lot of chick peas."  To this day I haven't figured out how his comment was supposed to be constructive.  Never mind, the tagine is still a favourite.

Turkish stuffed eggplant - Imam Bayildi

 The Fainting Imam’s Delight

A jewel of Ottoman cuisine, Imam Bayıldı is a dish that seduces with the fragrance of olive oil, the sweetness of onions, and the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of eggplant. The name means “the imam fainted” — supposedly because he swooned with pleasure when he first tasted it (or when he saw how much olive oil his wife used, depending on the tale you prefer).