winter greens crostini recipe This recipe is akin to a robust winter salsa verde, with plenty of olive oil and parsley. It's good spread on bruschetta as a first course and I also love it as a pasta sauce. Add plenty of Parmesan a
stuffed butternut squash with creamy goat's cheese recipe The shape, colour, texture and taste of this dish make it a good all-rounder in autumn and winter. The skin of the butternuts is thin, so once cooked, you can eat this too and then you’ll get all the
smoked mackerel and parsnip fish cakes We should be eating as much oily fish as we can, and this is a delicious way to do so. Serve with a home-made tomato sauce.Serves 4 800g parsnips, peeled (unless organic) and roughly chopped2 tbsp co
wilted winter green salad with pomegranate recipe The colours here – crimson and brilliant green – look good, and when served warm, this is an ideal winter salad. It's excellent as a starter or as a side dish with meat and fish, and also works wel
red thai curry mussels recipe Delicious, spicy and fragrant, mussels, like oysters, are generally thought to be best in the colder months of the year (those with an ‘r’ in them). Use a good-quality red Thai curry paste, such as Ga
smashed roast new potatoes with garlic and rosemary recipe My children call out for this as soon as they see new potatoes coming in from the garden. This is real winter comfort food – good as a side dish, but substantial enough on its own served with a salad.
sloe gin (or damson vodka) recipe This sloe gin or damson vodka recipe can be adapted to the fruit you have to hand. Damsons left after the vodka is strained are perfect to eat with ice cream or yogurt.This makes a perfect Christmas g
persian jewelled rice recipe The textures, colour and flavour of this rice make it an almost stand-alone dish. Where in summer and autumn I cook Broad bean pilaf, in the winter and spring I cook this - one of my favourite things
pheasant with apple and chestnut A classic combination for autumn and winter, with the apple helping to prevent the pheasant from drying out.Serves 4 2 pheasants2 tbsp seasoned plain flour3 tbsp olive oil4 onions (about 500g), quart
soda bread with sunflower and pumpkin seeds recipe Here's a very quick and easy recipe for when you want almost instant bread on the table. It does not use yeast, so there's no proving, or waiting for it to rise.Makes 1 x 500g loaf 225g strong white
rösti potatoes recipe Rösti potatoes might be fattening, but no more so than chips, and they have infinitely more flavour. Makes 6 large rösti: 3 or 4 potatoes (Desiree is ideal)2 tablespoons chopped onionHandful of chopp
vichy carrots recipe This is very good for cooking winter carrots, which have less taste than summer-harvested ones. Lengthy cooking intensifies the flavour.For 61kg carrots50g butterpinch of salt and black pepper1 teaspo
venison and coconut curry Lovers of red meat should eat more venison, as it’s a lean and healthy protein. Serve with black or red rice, Jewelled freekeh and/or cauliflower couscous. It’s good topped with a couple of tablespoon
venison casserole with no-suet dumplings recipe This is a recipe by my twin sister Jane, and it's one of my favourite winter meals. The secret of this casserole is to let everything steep for a day. This brings out the flavour and makes the meat me
sweet-and-sour marinated cabbage recipe This pickle is northern European in origin and is good with warming, intense-tasting winter food. It goes well with smoked fish - trout or eel - and is ideal with a strong cheese.The key to this treat
toad-in-the-hole with sage and red onions This makes the best toad-in-the-hole in the world. The sweetness of the onion and the smokiness of the sage are great additions. Serve with mashed potato and onion gravy and stir-fried cabbage.Serves