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~Ingredients~

For the chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts French trimmed with skin still on.

• Fresh thyme

• 5 cubes of cold butter

• 3 garlic cloves

For the beans:

• 2 cans butter beans

• 2 courgettes or 6 baby courgettes

• 4 garlic cloves

• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1 lemon

• 200ml chicken stock

For the nduja:

• 2 tbsp nduja

• ½ tsp honey

~Method~

• For the beans, finely slice the courgettes and add to a heavy pan with a good glug of olive oil. Salt then fry off at medium high heat until they begin to caramelise. Finely slice and add the garlic. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.

• Add the thyme, beans (with the bean stalk) and chicken stock. Simmer on high heat for a few minutes then add the lemon and black pepper to taste. Continue to cook until reduced to a thick sauce.

• For the chicken, season well with salt and place skin side down on a cold pan then turn the heat up. Fry skin side down for around 10 minutes or until the skin has fully rendered and has a nice colour to it. Flip the chicken, add the thyme, butter and garlic cloves (crushed slightly).

• Baste the chicken for around 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Leave to rest.

• For the nduja, heat in a pan until it melts, add the honey and mix together to top.

Enjoy!

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Buratta with chili crisp and peach salad. A beautiful summer veggie starter and an absolute crowd pleaser. I first tried chili crisp and buratta at Fallow restaurant, an amazing combo with the crunchy spiciness cutting through the mellow creaminess, which pairs wonderfully with the freshness of the peach.

~Ingredients~

• Buratta

• Sourdough bread to serve

Chili crisp:

• 1 garlic bulb

• 3 large red chilis

• 2 banana shallots

• 2 tbsp Aleppo chili flakes

• 1 tbsp chili flakes

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 200ml vegetable oil

Peach salad:

• 2 firm yellow peaches

• 1 red onion

• 1 scotch bonnet chili

• Fresh coriander

• 1 lime

• Olive oil

~Method~

• For the chili crisp, finely slice the shallots, chilis and garlic.

• Bring the vegetable oil up to heat in a pan. To check it’s ready, a piece of onion will belong to bubble if you dip it into the pan. Fry the onion, followed by the garlic until golden brown. Remove them just before they reach the desired colour as they will continue to cook out the pan. Finish by frying the chilis. Allow to cool and crisp up on some kitchen towel.

• Add the chili flakes, sugar and some freshly cracked black pepper to a pan then pour in the hot oil and mix to combine. Add the crisped up ingredients, mix then season with a little salt.

• For the peach salad. Slice the peaches into small cubes, finely dice the onion and scotch bonnet. Add to a pan along with a small handful of chopped coriander, some salt, juice from the lime and a drizzle of olive oil.

• Serve the buratta on top of the salad, topped with plenty of crispy chili.

Enjoy!

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Sweet, salty and spicy: baked feta with jammy cherries, hot honey, pistachios and crispy garlic. Very easy to put together and delivers on flavour.

~Ingredients~

• 1 block feta

• 350g cherries

• 6 garlic cloves

• Fresh thyme

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 scotch bonnet chili

• 1/4 cup pistachios

• Bread to serve

~Method~

• For the hot honey, deseed and finely dice the chili. Add the honey to a pan with the chilies and heat on a medium low heat until the honey begins to bubble. Turn the heat down and set aside.

• Pit the cherries and slice in half. Add the feta block to an oven proof pan and surround with the cherries. Pour over the balsamic, lightly press and add the garlic cloves, sprinkle over a few thyme sprigs then top with a glug of olive oil, pepper, and a drizzle of the hot honey.

• Add to a preheated oven at 180C for around 30 minutes or until the feta is caramelised and the cherries begin to break down into a sticky chutney like consistency.

• Top with crushed pistachios, lemon zest, hot honey and olive oil.

Enjoy!

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Harissa and honey carrot skewers, tahini sauce and dukkah.

~Ingredients~

Carrots:

• 3 large carrots

• 2 tbsp rose harissa

• 1 tsp honey

• Table salt

Dukkah:

• 1/4 cup almonds

• 1/4 cup pistachios

• 1/2 cup seeds mix

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp cumin

Tahini sauce:

• 3 tbsp tahini

• Ice cold water

• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1 lemon

To serve:

• EVOO

• Fresh mint

~Method~

• For the carrots, peel and finely slice, ideally with a mandolin, to around 3mm.

• Add to a bowl and salt liberally with a couple of tbsps of salt. Leave for at least 30 minutes to extract the water and soften the carrots.

• Pour out all the remaining liquid and dry the carrots with kitchen paper or towel.

• Mix the harissa and honey with a good glug of olive oil then add the carrots and mix well. Set aside.

• For the dukkah, toast all the ingredients in a pan starting with the almonds and pistachios. Add the seeds and coriander once the nuts have began to smoke a little. Toast until fragrant and coloured, around 5 minutes.

• Add to a pestle and mortar with the cumin and pound to a rough consistency.

• For the tahini sauce. Add the tahini to a bowl followed by a small amount of ice cold water. Whisk to form a thick sauce. Add the yogurt and juice from the lemon and whisk again.

• To finish the carrots, create the skewers and grill in the oven at its maximum temperature for 5 minutes. Remove and brush with any of the remaining harissa mix and grill again for around 10 minutes or until the carrots begin to char.

• Serve with olive oil and fresh mint.

Enjoy!

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~Ingredients~

For the beef birria (makes multiple portions):

• 1 kg beef (ribs, chuck, oxtail etc)

• 2 large white onions

• 6 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 4 beef tomatoes

• 1 litre chicken or beef stock

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp Mexican spice mixture from plus-spice

• 3 ancho chilis

• 3 morita chilis

• 3 chilis de arbol

For the stuffed aubergine:

• 1 aubergine

• Mild cheese e.g., mozzarella

• Salsa macha

• Fresh red chilis

For the sauces:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• 2 limes

• 1 avocado

• 1 garlic clove

~Method~

For the beef birria:

• Deseed all of the chilis and roast them off in a pan for a few minutes until they begin to smoke. Keep them whole. Set aside.

• Salt and then brown the beef on all sides in a heavy based pan until deeply caramelised. Set aside the dice up 1 and a half of the onions, leaving the other half for later. Finely slice the garlic cloves and add both the onion and garlic to the same pan.

• Sweat for a few minutes then add the tomato puree. Dice 3 of the tomatoes and add them to the pan as well. Cool for a few more minutes then add the beef back into the pan.

• Pour the stock over the beef then add the bay leaves, coriander seeds and Mexican spices. Add a little water if there’s not enough stock.

• Add the chilis and submerge. Cover with a lid and simmer for an hour then remove the chilis and add to a blender. Char the remaining half of an onion and tomato (cut in half) face down in a pan until they begin to blacken and add to the blender with the chilis. Blend into a smooth paste.

• Add the paste back into the pot with the beef and stir in to combine. Cover with the lid again and simmer for 3-4 hours.

• The beef should be falling apart. Remove and let cool slightly on a pan. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a new pan and keep warm on the hob.

• Use your hands or a fork to pull the meat apart and keep moist with extra juice from the sauce. Put into a bowl in the fridge to cool down.

To make the stuffed aubergine:

• Slice the aubergine lengthways into 1/2 cm strips. Trim off the sides and salt generously. Leave for 10 minutes.

• After 10 minutes dab away the excess moisture with kitchen towel and fry the aubergine on a high heat on a griddle pan until caramelised and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

• Lay the aubergine slices flat on a piece of clingfilm then add a few tbsps of the beef birria. Flatten down to form a layer on the aubergines around 2cm thick.

• Add a layer of the cheese to the middle of the birria then fold the aubergine over carefully to form a parcel and use the clingfilm to twist at each end and tighten into a cylinder. Add to a baking tray then put in the oven for 10 minutes at 180C.

For the sauces:

• Juice the limes into a bowl then grate in the garlic cloves and allow to infuse for at least 15 minutes. Use half the infused lime juice for each sauce, sieving into the yogurt and mixing and the avocado then blending, add salt to taste.

To finish:

• Place the stuffed aubergine on a plate and top with the two sauces, followed by salsa macha and fresh sliced chilis.

Enjoy!

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Lamb meatballs with harissa chili jam, sumac onions and harissa yogurt. This one has a bit of everything, and surprisingly easy to throw together!

~ingredients~

Meatballs:

• 400g lamb mince

• 1 roasted red pepper (de-skinned)

• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs soaked in whole milk

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Sumac onions:

• 1 red onion

• 1 lemon

• 1 tsp sumac

Chili harissa:

• 1 roasted red pepper (de-skinned)

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

• 1 tbsp chili jam

Harissa yogurt:

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

To serve:

• Crushed hazelnuts

• Fresh dill

• Fresh parsley

• Red and green chilis

• Flatbreads

~Method~

• For the meatballs, finely chop the red peppers and grate the garlic into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and a glug of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then mix well to combine.

• Roll into equal shaped meatballs then leave in the fridge until ready to cook.

• For the sumac onions, finely slice the onion, squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and add the sumac with a pinch of salt. Mix well and store in the fridge.

• For the chili harissa, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

• To finish the meatballs, add to a medium/hot pan with a little oil and fry on all sides until fully browned. Add a tbsps of the chili harissa and continue to cook on a medium/low heat until the meatballs are cooked through.

• To serve, add the yogurt to a plate then lightly swirl in the harissa, taking care not to fully mix in.

• Top with the meatballs, a dollop of the chili harissa and the rest of the components.

Enjoy!

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Vegan nduja with Ottolenghi style aubergines and whipped tofu. Trust me, this does not taste like your typical plant-based dish. Smoky, spicy vegan ’nduja, silky aubergines and creamy whipped tofu come together for the perfect balance of heat, umami and richness.

~Ingredients~

Aubergine

• 2 aubergines

• Simplicity vegan nduja

• 1 garlic clove

Whipped tofu:

• 1 block firm tofu

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 garlic clove

• 2 tbsp butter beans

• 1 tsp miso paste

• 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup olive oil

To serve:

• Pine nuts

• Fresh red chili

• Chives

• Good quality EVOO

• Flatbreads

~Method~

• For the aubergines, prick multiple times with a fork, place on an ovenproof dish and roast in the oven at 220C for 40 minutes.

• Meanwhile make the whipped tofu by adding the tofu, garlic, nutritional yeast, butter beans and miso paste to a food processor followed by the juice from the lemon and salt. Begin to blend on high setting and slowly pour the olive oil in to loosen the mixture up. If needed pour a little of the butter bean stock into the mixture as it blends.

• Remove the aubergines from the oven and allow to cool a little. Peel off the skin - this should come away from the flesh easily.

• Press the aubergines down with a fork to flatten them. Use kitchen towel to remove any moisture that comes out.

• Fry the aubergines in a little oil on both sides for around 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the flesh begins to caramelise. Remove and best aside.

• Clean the pan then add the nduja and grate in the garlic clove. Add a glug of olive oil then cook on a medium low heat for a few minutes. Add the aubergines back to the pan, baste and fry until the nduja begins to caramelise.

• Serve with chopped chives, red chilis and toasted pine nuts. Mop up with warm flatbreads.

Enjoy!

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Chicken thighs with a Cointreau and orange sauce. This has an amazing sweet and tangy profile, perfect with creamy mash, pickled vegetables, and dollops of smoky harissa!

~Ingredients~

For the chicken:

• 3 chicken thighs

• 40g cold butter

• 4 garlic cloves

• Fresh thyme

• 50ml Cointreau

• 250ml chicken stock

• 1 orange

For the pickled vegetables:

• 1 fennel bulb

• 2 carrots

• 1 white onion

• 2 large green chilis

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 1 cup pickling vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

Do the mashed potato:

• 5 potatoes

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 50g butter

To serve:

• Rose harissa

• 1 red chili

• Fresh parsley

~Method~

• For the pickled vegetables, finely slice all the vegetables and add to a sterilised Kilner jar or similar. Add the coriander seeds.

• Add the rest of the ingredients to a pan and warm gently until the salt and sugar melts.

• Pour over the vegetabels, seal, and store away in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.

• For chicken, debone the thighs but keep the skin on. Season with salt and place skin side down in a cold pan and turn on the hob. Allow the skin to render for around 10 minutes or until they easily pull from the pan and are a deep caramelised colour.

• Flip skin side up then add half the cold butter, the garlic cloves (crushed) and a handful of thyme. Baste the chicken thighs until cooked. Remove and set aside. Take out the garlic cloves, thyme and pour away the majority of the butter.

• To make the sauce, pour the Cointreau into the pan to deglaze. Allow to reduce by a half then add the chicken stock. Start with half, reduce, then add the other half.

• Squeeze in the juice of half the orange, then add the remaining butter and continue to stir on a low heat until a thick glossy sauce has formed. Season to taste.

• For the mashed potato, peel and cut the potatoes into equal sized chunks. Add to a pan with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook until a knife can pass with little resistance through the potatoes.

• Drain and allow the potatoes to cool and the moisture to evaporate. In the same pan melt the butter and milk then add the potatoes back in and mash. Season to taste.

• Serve topped with small dollops of harissa, red chilis and fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

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Gochujang marinaded chicken with smashed cucumber salad and tahini yoghurt. This creates a delicious Asian style roasted chicken - I always find cooking in the air fry results in beautifully crispy skin with a proper rotisserie style to it, and quicker!

~Ingredients~

(Chicken serves 1, but double the ingredients to serve 2. The salad and yoghurt will yield enough to serve 2).

For the chicken:

• Half a chicken

• 2 tsp gochujang paste

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp honey

• 2 garlic cloves grated

• 1/2 inch fresh ginger grated

For the smashed cucumbers:

• 1 large cucumber

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1/2 a garlic clove grated

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1 large red chili

For the tahini yoghurt:

• 3 tbsp tahini paste

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

• 1 lemon

To serve:

• Fresh chili

• Fresh coriander

• Chili flakes

~Method~

• For the chicken, combine all ingredients into a bowl and grate in the garlic and ginger. Season with salt and pepper then add the chicken to the bowl and coat fully in the marinade. Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

• The next day remove from the fridge an hour before cooking.

• Add the chicken to the air fryer and start skin side up at 180C for 10 minutes. Turn skin side down and fry at 200C for another 10 minutes. Flip again and fry skin side up for between 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. Internal temp should read 75C.

• Remove and rest for at least 10 minutes.

• For the cucumber salad, half peel the cucumber then bash firmly with a rolling pin until it’s beginning to crack at the sides. Slice the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the flesh/seeds. Roughly chop the cucumber then add to a bowl. Season with a tbsp of salt then leave for 15 minutes before draining, patting dry with kitchen towel then adding back to the bowl.

• Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well to combine.

• For the tahini yoghurt, add the tahini to a bowl. Get a cup of ice cold water ready and pour a little in (a couple of tbsp) then whisk. Continue to add water and whisk until a thick smooth paste has formed. Add the yoghurt and the juice of half the lemon and whisk to combine.

• Serve with fresh coriander, sliced chilis and a sprinkle of chili flakes.

Enjoy!

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Lamb schnitzel with caper and mint butter, pickled onions and pickled cucumbers. The schnitzel works surprisingly well with the lamb, seasoned with toasted cumin and coriander for extra flavour, and fresh crunchy pickles to cut through it all.

~Ingredients~

For the lamb schnitzel:

• Lamb steak

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1 cup flour

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups neutral oil

For the pickled onions:

• 3 red onions

• 1 cup pickling vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

For the pickled cucumbers:

• 3 baby cucumbers

• 1 handful fresh dill

• 1 cup pickling vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

For the butter:

• 50g butter

• 1 handful fresh mint

• 3 tbsp capers

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 garlic clove

~Method~

• For the pickled onions, finely slice the onions and add to a sterilised Kilner jar or similar.

• Add the rest of the ingredients to a pan and warm gently until the salt and sugar melts.

• Pour over the onions, seal, and store away in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.

• For the pickled cucumbers, follow the same process but add fresh dill to the jar as well.

• For the butter, make sure the butter is softened first. Add a handful of mint to a pestle and mortar and grind until it forms a rough paste. Add the capers and grind again to break them apart. Add the butter, zest of the lemon, and half of the garlic clove (grated). Grind until fully incorporated.

• For the schnitzel, lay the steak between two sheets of baking paper and bash with a rolling pin until it’s around half a centimetre in thickness.

• Toast the cumin and coriander and grind into a powder. Sprinkle this on both sides of the steak and season with salt.

• Crumb the lamb by coating with the flour, followed by the egg (whisked fully) then the breadcrumbs.

• Preheat the oil in a shallow pan until a breadcrumb bubbles vigorously when dropped into the pan. Lay the schnitzel in flat and shallow fry for a couple of minutes. Flip and fry on the other side for 2-3 minutes, basting whilst doing so.

• Remove from the pan and season immediately with a little salt.

• Serve with the flavoured butter, the pickles and wedge of lemon.

Enjoy!

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Cauliflower steak with harissa yoghurt, scotch bonnet honey, fresh herbs and pistachios.

~Ingredients~

Cauliflower steak

• 1 cauliflower

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Hot honey:

• 1 scotch bonnet chili

• 1/2 cup honey

Yoghurt base:

• 1 cup Greek yoghurt

• 1/2 a clove of garlic

• 1/2 a lime

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

To serve:

• 1/4 cup toasted pistachios

• Fresh mint

• Fresh dill

• Chili flakes

~Method~

• For the hot honey, deseed and finely chop the chili. Add to a pan with the honey and heat slowly until the honey just begins to bubble. Keep it at this level for a few minutes then switch the heat off, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

• For the cauliflower steak, slice the cauliflower into two 1.5 inch slices. Chop off the stalk so they form a circle when placed together.

• Fry on one side on a high heat in some oil until caramelised. Flip and continue to fry the other side. Mix the smoked paprika with 2 tbsp olive oil and brush the steak to fully coat. Flip the steaks over and brush the other sides.

• Place in the oven at 180C for 10-15 or until a knife can easily pass through the centre.

• For the base, combine the yoghurt, juice from half the lime and 1/2 the garlic clove grated into a bowl and mix well to combine. Add this to your plate then swirl in the harissa without fully incorporating it.

• Top with the cauliflower, a drizzle of hot honey and the rest of the ingredients.

Enjoy!

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Curried cabbage. The combo you didn’t know you needed. Charred hispi cabbage layered with a rich curry sauce, finished with cool mint yogurt and made for tearing into with warm flatbreads.

~Ingredients~

• 1 hispi cabbage

• 50g butter

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 inch ginger

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable)

• 1/4 cup coconut cream

For the crispy onions:

• 5 banana shallots

• Vegetable oil

For the yogurt:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 lime

• 1 handful fresh mint

To serve:

• Red chilis

• Fresh coriander

• Warm flat breads

~Method~

• For the yogurt, finely chop the mint and add to a bowl with the Greek yogurt and juice of half the lime. Mix well to combine and set aside.

• For the butter, allow it to soften then add to either a pestle and mortar or food processor with the spices. Grate in the ginger and garlic then process until smooth. Set aside.

• For the crispy onions, finely slice the onions ideally with a mandolin to keep them a consistent width. Add to a pan and pour over oil until covered. Turn Hawtt to high and begin the stirring the onions as they fry. Remove once they have browned but not too much as they will continue cooking when taken out. Sieve away the oil then lay the onions on a paper towel. Season with salt.

• Slice the cabbage in half and fry face down in a little oil until caramelised. Transfer to the oven face down at 180C for 10 minutes.

• Remove and add back to the hob. Flip face up and add the curry butter to the pan. Allow it to melt so the spices begin to cook out. Ladle in the stock and turn the heat up to high. Begin to baste the cabbage as the liquid reduces until the sauce has become thick and glossy. Pour in the coconut cream and mix well then baste again. Season to finish.

• Serve topped with the crispy onions, sliced red chili and fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

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Middle Eastern style meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with butter beans and crispy garlic. This one’s packed full of flavour with the warmth of the allspice running through the dish. It’s also pretty easy to put together!

~Ingredients~

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 onion

• 500g beef mince

• 1 cup parsley

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup whole milk

• 1 tbsp allspice

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

For the sauce:

• 1/2 onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp allspice

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 2 beef tomatoes

• 1 can peeled plum tomatoes

• 1 can butter beans

Crispy garlic:

• 1 bulb garlic

• Olive oil

To serve:

• Fresh parsley

• Fresh red chilis

~Method~

• For the meatballs, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and set aside.

• Dice half the onion as small as you can and finely chop the parsley. Add all the ingredients into a bowl, grate in the garlic clove and season with salt and pepper.

• Mix well until fully combined. Roll into equal sized meatballs then seal in a heavy based pan on high heat until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside, keeping the pan juices for the sauce.

• For the sauce, dice the other half onion and finely slice the garlic cloves. Add to the pan and sweat for around 5 minutes then add the spices and cook out for another few minutes.

• Finely dice the tomatoes and add to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they disintegrate then add the plum tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, then optionally blend the sauce if you want it smoother.

• Pour in the butter beans and mix, then season to taste. Place the meatballs back in the sauce then place in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.

• For the crispy garlic, finely slice the cloves and add to a pan of oil that’s been preheated until a slice fizzes when dropped in. Fry the garlic until they begin to brown then sieve immediately and let cool before adding back to the oil.

• Top with the crispy garlic, sliced chilis and fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

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Ribeye steak with herby green beans, pickled red onions and roasted pistachios.

~Ingredients~

For the steak:

• 1 ribeye

• 50g cold butter cubed

• 5 garlic cloves

• Fresh thyme

For the beans:

• 1 jar butter beans

• 1 cup baby spinach

• 1/2 cup parsley

• 1/2 cup basil

• 1/2 cup coriander

• 1 garlic bulb

• 1 lemon

For the pickled onions:

• 3 red onions

• 1 cup pickling vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

To serve:

• Crushed toasted pistachios

~Method~

• For the pickled onions, finely slice the onions and add to a Kilner jar or similar.

• Add the rest of the ingredients to a pan and warm gently until the salt and sugar melts.

• Pour over the onions, seal, and store away in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.

• For the beans, confit all the garlic cloves but save one for later. Peel them and add to an ovenproof dish, cover with olive oil and add to the oven at 160C for around an hour.

• Add the herbs, spinach, garlic clove, and juice of the lemon to a blender. Add a good glug of olive oil and the stock from the beans. Season with a little salt then blend to create a vivid green sauce.

• Add the confit garlic cloves along with the beans to a pan and heat up to medium. Pour over the green sauce and mix to combine. Allow to simmer for a few minutes on low heat.

• For the steak, season well and add to a smoking hot pan with a little oil. Cook to your desired level. Use the butter, garlic cloves and thyme to baste the steak once you flip it.

• Serve topped with the crushed pistachios and pickled onions.

Enjoy!

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Crispy chicken thighs with green tahini sauce, pickled onions, pomegranate and sumac. The perfect balance of rich, bitter, sweet and sharp pickled flavours, cutting through the crispy chicken. Finished with fresh herbs and a hit of lemony sumac.

~Ingredients~

For the pickled onions:

• 3 red onions

• 1 cup pickling vinegar

• 3 cups water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

For the chicken thighs:

• 6 thighs, skin on

• 4 garlic cloves

• Cold butter

• Salt to taste

For the green tahini sauce:

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 2 tbsp EVOO

• Handful fresh coriander

• Handful fresh dill

• Handful fresh mint

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup ice cold water and ice cubes

• Salt to taste

To serve:

• Pomegranate seeds

• Sumac

• Fresh dill

• Fresh mint

• EVOO

~Method~

• For the pickled onions, finely slice the onions and add to a Kilner jar or similar.

• Add the rest of the ingredients to a pan and warm gently until the salt and sugar melts.

• Pour over the onions, seal, and store away in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.

• For the green tahini sauce add all the ingredients to a high powered food processor and blend until smooth. Store in the fridge.

• For the chicken, debone the thighs and leave out for an hour to come to room temperature. Season and place skin side down on a cold pan then turn on the heat and render for about 10 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.

• Season the meat wide with salt. Flip to skin side up then add the butter and garlic. Baste for a few minutes until the meat is cooked through.

• Serve with fresh pomegranate seeds, a sprinkle of sumac, fresh mint and dill, and a good drizzle of EVOO.

Enjoy!

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Glazed roasted pumpkin, rayu chili crisp and miso cottage cheese. This may sound like a strange combination but the cottage cheese works perfectly with a spike of miso for some umami depth.

~Ingredients~

Chili crisp:

• 4 spring onions

• 1 bulb garlic

• 1 cup neutral oil

• 1/2 cup chili flakes

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

• 1 tsp gochujang

• 1/4 cup sesame oil

Glazed pumpkin:

• 1 pumpkin

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp gochujang

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 garlic clove

Cottage cheese:

• 1 tub cottage cheese

• 1 tsp miso

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

To serve:

• Fresh chilis

• Chives

~Method~

• For the rayu chili oil, finely slice the spring onions and garlic cloves. Pre heat the oil in a pan until a piece of garlic begins to fries when dropped in. Add the garlic and spring onions and fry on a consistent bubble for around 8 minutes or until it begins to brown. It should be a light brown colour.

• Meanwhile, add the chili flakes, sesame seeds and peanuts to a bowl. Sieve the garlic and onion mixture into the bowl so the hot oil mixes with the chili flakes and nuts. Keep the garlic and onion in the sieve to cool down and crisp up further.

• Add the gochujang paste and sesame oil to the bowl and mix in then pour in the crispy garlic and onion. Mix well.

• Slice the pumpkin into wedges and place on a tray. Cover with a dash of oil and season lightly with salt. Add to the preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients and grate in the garlic clove to a bowl. Mix well to create the glaze.

• After 10 minutes, remove the pumpkin and brush with the glaze. Add back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove and glaze again twice more or until the pumpkin is fully cooked through with a thick sticky layer of glazing.

• For the cottage cheese, add to a bowl with a teaspoon of the miso (you can combine with a little hot water to loosen up) and the rice wine vinegar. Mix well to combine.

Enjoy!

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Beef birria toastie. Possibly my vote for the best toastie in the world — melt-in-the-mouth beef packed with deep, complex flavour, molten cheese, and perfectly crisp sourdough that soaks up the birria jus without turning soggy. Every bite was unreal.

~Ingredients~

• 1 kg beef (ribs, chuck, oxtail etc)

• 2 large white onions

• 6 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 4 beef tomatoes

• 1 litre chicken or beef stock

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp Mexican spice mixture from plus-spice

• 3 ancho chilis

• 3 morita chilis

• 3 chilis de arbol

For the toastie:

• Sourdough bread

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

• 1 cup cheddar cheese

• 2 tsp salsa macha (see previous recipe)

• Fresh coriander

• Diced white onion

~Method~

• Deseed all of the chilis and roast them off in a pan for a few minutes until they begin to smoke. Keep them whole. Set aside.

• Salt and then brown the beef on all sides in a heavy based pan until deeply caramelised. Set aside the dice up 1 and a half of the onions, leaving the other half for later. Finely slice the garlic cloves and add both the onion and garlic to the same pan.

• Sweat for a few minutes then add the tomato puree. Dice 3 of the tomatoes and add them to the pan as well. Cool for a few more minutes then add the beef back into the pan.

• Pour the stock over the beef then add the bay leaves, coriander seeds and Mexican spices. Add a little water if there’s not enough stock.

• Add the chilis and submerge. Cover with a lid and simmer for an hour then remove the chilis and add to a blender. Char the remaining half of an onion and tomato (cut in half) face down in a pan until they begin to blacken and add to the blender with the chilis. Blend into a smooth paste.

• Add the paste back into the pot with the beef and stir in to combine. Cover with the lid again and simmer for 3-4 hours.

• The beef should be falling apart. Remove and let cool slightly on a pan. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a new pan and keep warm on the hob.

• Use your hands or a fork to pull the meat apart and keep moist with extra juice from the pan if needed.

• Layer up the toastie with a layer of salsa macha on one side and the cheese on the other. Top the cheese with the beef, some diced white onion and fresh coriander. Close the toastie and butter both sides. Fry in a pan on a medium heat until the bread has crisped up and the cheese melted.

• Finish the birria liquid with diced white onion, coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Enjoy!

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Melt in the mouth lamb with an Indian marinade and homemade mango chutney. I served this in a roti with yogurt, fresh coriander and chili. Absolutely delicious, give it a go!

~Ingredients~

Curried lamb:

• Half leg of lamb

• 1 white onion

• 1 lemon

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 inch ginger

• 5 cloves

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp coriander

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp red chili powder

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 5 black peppercorns

• 5 finger chilis

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt

For the mango chutney:

• 1 mango

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1 inch ginger

• 1 shallot

• 5 cardamom pods

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp nigella seeds

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp sugar

To serve:

• Roti

• Greek yogurt

• 1 large red chili

• Fresh coriander

~Method~

• For the lamb, finely slice the onion and add to a deep pan. Grate in the garlic cloves and ginger then add all the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

• Use a paring knife to slice into the lamb to allow the marinade to penetrate. Season then add the lamb to the pan and massage the marinade into the meat for a couple of minutes. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

• For the mango chutney, peel and slice the mango into 1.5cm cubes. Finely dice the shallot, slice the garlic cloves and ginger thinly.

• Add the shallot, garlic and ginger to a pan and sweat off for a few minutes. Crush and add the cardamom pods followed by the turmeric and nigella seeds. Mix to combine and cook off for a minute.

• Add the mango cubes followed by the vinegar and sugar. You can add a little water if it seems too dry. Turn to a low heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Add a little salt to taste then set aside to cool.

• To cook the lamb, remove from the fridge at least an hour before cooking. Then transfer to an oven at 160C for 4 hours with the lid on. Check every hour and baste the lamb with its juices.

• Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly then shred the meat with your hands or a fork. It should fall off the bone easily.

• Layer up the mango chutney with the shredded lamb, dollops of yogurt and the other accompaniments on a roti.

Enjoy!

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charred hispi cabbage with salsa macha and whipped feta. A great balance of flavours with a lot of umami and smokiness from the salsa macha; a great vegetarian centrepiece!

~Ingredients~(serves 2)

Salsa macha:

• 3X ancho chilis

• 3X arbol chilis

• 6X morito chilis

• 1 white onion

• 5 garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

• 1/4 cup almonds

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

• 1 tbsp chili flakes

• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano

• 3 tbsp cider vinegar

Pickled red onions:

• 3 large red onions

• 1 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 cup water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

Cabbage:

• 1 hispi cabbage

• 5 small cubes cold butter

• 1/2 cup good quality stock

• 1 lime

Whipped feta:

• 1 block feta

To serve:

• Fresh coriander

• 1 large red chili

• Tortillas

~Method~

• For the salsa macha, deseed all the chilis then toast on a dry pan until they begin to smoke and are fragrant, set aside.

• Slice the onions and peel and halve the garlic cloves. Add both to a pan with some oil and fry for a few minutes until they begin to colour. Add the nuts and seeds, cook for a few minutes then add the chili flakes and oregano, followed by the dried chilis.

• Pour olive oil over all the ingredients until everything is submerged and leave to simmer very lightly for 30 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a blender and blitz to a chunky salsa. Add the vinegar and season with salt. Set aside.

• For the pickled onions, dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and water. Finely slice the onions and add to a container then pour over the pickling liquid. Set aside in the fridge.

• For the cabbage, halve the hispi cabbage and fry face down in a little oil for around 8 minutes or until the cabbage begins to char slightly. Transfer to an oven at 180C for 15 minutes.

• Remove and return to the hob, add the butter and stock and baste until fully reduced to a thick sauce. Season the cabbage and squeeze over half the lime juice.

• For the whipped feta, add to a bowl and whisk aggressively until most of the lumps have been removed. You can also keep it chunky if desired.

• Top with fresh coriander and sliced red chilis. Serve with warm tortillas.

Enjoy!

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This is a beautifully balanced dish with the strong flavours of the mince and bitter tahini cut through perfectly by the zingy brussel sprouts and sweetness from the pomegranate.

~Ingredients~ (serves 2)

• 400g lamb mince

• 1 tbsp Baharat

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 cup orange wine (or white)

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 500g brussel sprouts

• 4 spring onions

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup walnuts

• 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1 lemon

To serve:

• 2 fresh chilis (red and green)

• Za’atar

• Flatbreads

~Method~

• For the brussel sprouts, finely slice all of the sprouts and add to a bowl. Do the same with the spring onions.

• Add the cider vinegar and a good pinch of salt, then crush the ingredients together for a few minutes to fully incorporate. Set aside in the fridge for later.

• For the tahini sauce, add the tahini to a bowl, then pour in a little ice cold water. Whisk and continue to add water until the tahini is smooth and lighter in colour. Add the yoghurt, followed by the juice from the lemon. Grate one of the garlic cloves in and then whisk to combine.

• For the mince, remove from the fridge and allow to cool for an hour. Then fry on a high heat with a little oil in a heavy based pan. Fry on one side for around 5 minutes or until the meat is browned and very caramelised. Flip the meat and break it apart. Add the Baharat and cook off for a couple of minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook for another couple of minutes.

• Finely chop the remaining garlic and add to the pan. Fry for a few minutes then add the wine. Turn the heat up and reduce almost fully or until a thick sauce has been created. Season with salt.

• Finish the brussel salad coleslaw by toasting and crushing the walnuts then adding to the salad with the pomegranate seeds.

• Serve with freshly sliced chilis, za’atar and warm flatbreads.

Enjoy!