Spanish Meatballs ( makes 30)

These little meatballs can be made ahead of time for an easy light lunch. SErve with salad and Catalan tomato bread. The recipe is from ” Simple Food” by Jill Dupleix.

Jalapeno Cornbread with Chipotle Butter (1 loaf)

A delicious version of Cornbread to make at home from the Caravan chain of restaurants.

Fried Brown Rice with Brussels Sprouts, Fried Eggs, Greens and Chilli (4-6)

A full of flavour and very satisfying brunch dish from ” Caravan: Dining All Day” by Chris Ammermann, Laura Harper-Hinton, Miles Kirby.

Cheddar and Caramalised Onion Jam on Sourdough Toast (4)

A jazzed up version of cheese on toast from ” Caravan : Dining All Day” by Miles Kirby, Laura Harper-Hinton and Chris Ammermann. The jam can be made up to three weeks in advance and stored in the fridge, making this easy to make on the day. Use a good sourdough bread and flavourful cheddar.

Eggs with Potatoes and Cumin (2)

The Syrian name for this comforting dish is Muffaraket Batata and I found the recipe in ” Syria Recipes from Home” by Hab Azzam and Dina Mousawi. In the introduction to this dish they descibed how they met a group of young Syrians cooking this in a public park in Lesbos while waiting to register as refugees. Lets hope that many of these displaced individuals can now return to their homeland if they wish to do so. The dish is also popular with pregnant women as it is belived to be a good detoxifier.

Toasted Smoked Mackerel Sandwich (2)

A delicious snack and a great way to incorporate more oily fish into your diet from Nigel Slater’s ” Real Food”.

Cheese Mash (2)

A good mash to serve on the side with some sausages, grillede bacon or grilled chicken. You can also make Double Cheese Mash by scooping the mash into an ovenproof dish , scattering with a good handful each of Parmesan and fine breadcrumbs, then baking in a very hot oven until the top is golden and fairly crisp. The recipe is from ” Real Food” by Nigel Slater.

Potato and Smoked Mackerel Dauphinoise (4)

This is a favourite recipe from ” Real Food” by Nigel Slater. Although I have a couple of similar recipes by other food writers on my site I think his version was the first that I came across many years ago. SErve with rocket or baby spinach leaves to mop up the juices, or alternatively some green beans.

Chilli Cheese Sourdough Toasties (2)

A very good toastie recipe from Waitrose. If you eat meat you can use a regular Nduja paste instead of the Ve-du-Ya.

Roast Chicken with Tarragon Juices (4-6)

A simple chicken supper from ” Real Food” by Nigel Slater. Serve with a green salad, lightly dressed with oil and lemon juice.

Peter Gordon’s Chicken Laksa (2)

This laksa is full of vibrant flavours and a meal in a bowl. I found the recipe in ” Real Food” by Nigel Slater, which remains one of my favourite recipe books .

Baked Feta with Sourdough and Olives (4)

A wonderful way to use feta from ” The Art of the Larder” by Claire Thomson. Serve with a simplesalad of lettuce and cucumber dressed with lemon, salt and olive oil. It serves 4 as a light lunch .

Egg, Turmeric and Coconut Curry (4)

An easy gently spiced curry, fragrant with coconut milk and spice, from ” The Art of the Larder” by Claire Thompson. Serve with brown or white rice and a jarred Indian pickle or chutney. Cook as many eggs as you would like to serve.

Bean Chilli with Cinnamon and Bay (4)

A very good vegetarian chilli using tinned beans from ” The Art of the Larder” by Claire Thomson. The basic recipe can also be used to make a couple of variations- chilli baked under a blanket or cornbread or roasted in peppers with cheese and sour cream. Claire is bringing out a new recipe book on one pot bean dishes which will be published in Febuary 2025. I cant wait and have already preordered the book.

Bacon and Eggs with Apple and Parsnip (4)

A perfect brunch from ” The Abel & Cole Cookbook”. Serve with wholemeal toast.

Sue's Recipes and Other Stories

Recipes, Travel and other Titbits