Recipes

All over the world, one of the simplest ways to turn a pile of ripe fruit into a warm comfortable dessert is to slowly bake them with aromatic spices under an easy-to-make crumbly crust

My favourite dessert is a thick slice of just-baked pie, with apples fresh from our local orchard, and still warm from the oven. But I’m always careful to save a thick wedge because I believe apple pie is at its best the next morning for breakfast. I prefer an easy-to-make butter pastry crust. Its secret is frozen butter, which adds flavour and is much easier than shortening to “cut” into the flour.

Few things say “Good Morning” better than a batch of warm-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls! You can bake them with speedy baking powder, but an old-school yeast dough always has the best texture and flavour.

In India, aloo gobi means “potato cauliflower”: it’s one of their most common vegetable dishes. It’s one of my family’s favourites too, partly because it’s so easy to make, but mostly because it’s full of so much addictive bright flavour. It’s normally made with plain white potatoes and cauliflower, but, for even more colour, flavour and nutrition, this version uses sweet potatoes instead.

This dish is on my table’s top-ten list, and not just because it’s easy to make and tastes great. Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. They’re packed with a laundry list of nutrients and always taste great, especially with aromatic olive oil instead of rich butter.

The rich meaty flavour of mushrooms make them one of the most popular side dishes in any steakhouse. This richly flavoured side dish is also perfect with a simple green salad or a freshly baked potato, or tossed with pasta.

Ratatouille is one of the world’s great vegetable dishes. It’s a brightly flavoured rustic dish of stewed vegetables that traces its roots to the sunny south of France. It’s simple to make and simple to vary and usually includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, eggplant and zucchini slowly cooked together with olive oil.

Nothing tastes better than grilled vegetables. Nothing! These are one of the best ways I know to encourage mass vegetable consumption. The smoky charred aroma of your grill is always a crowd-pleaser.

There are many ways to cook asparagus; my favourite is on the grill with lots of smoky flavour, especially when they’re tossed with a batch of a quick and tasty variation of pesto.

Green beans are one of my favourite vegetables, especially when they’re sprinkled with crunchy toasted nuts and dressed with brown butter. Browning butter is one of the all-time great flavour secrets; it’s an easy way to unlock lots of hidden flavour and dress up your plate. Of course, for a healthier twist, you can simply use flavourful olive oil.

A bowl full of warm Asian greens is one of the healthiest things you can put on your table. It’s also one of the tastiest, especially if you simply steam the greens and toss them with a quick, warm sesame dressing.

Apples and red cabbage were made for each other! This is a traditional side dish for just about any meat, poultry, pork or game. The earthy bitterness of the cabbage is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the apple and the sourness of the vinegar.