Delicious UK

I don’t think I was your typical student cook back when university freshers’ week came around for me, just a few (cough, cough) Septembers ago. While I joined others with their bottomless bags of pasta and I certainly indulged in a Findus Crispy Pancake or two (we weren’t allowed such processed treats in my family kitchen), I couldn’t be more excited to hit the streets of Cardiff to sample the city’s delights. I became obsessed with making Welsh cakes and Glamorgan sausages. I stomped and sniffed my way around the indoor market, discovering new ‘exotic’ ingredients such as salt marsh lamb breast. My appetite for learning extended far beyond the randy Victorians of my literature course. Of course, nowadays, it’s become so much easier to skill up and have access…

At delicious. HQ, when we’re not feasting on shoot loot (all the incredible dishes cooked for these very pages!), we’re snaffling toast spread with Kerrygold flavoured butters (£3 for 150g, Tesco and Sainsbury’s). The savoury ones (especially garlic and herb) are tasty (do slather it over a fresh pizza base and whack in a hot oven), but the sweet varieties have also impressed us greatly. Maple and cinnamon or straight-up maple, in particular, are rich and gently spiced. They’re great to have on hand for spontaneous baking and pancake-making. We’ve been using them in cookies and banana cake, as well as spreading them thickly on that hot toast.…

Q You grew up in Jharkhand in eastern India. What was the food like there? A The city I lived in, Jamshedpur, was home to Tata Steel, so people came from all over India to work there. That meant the food was really cosmopolitan to cater to everyone’s tastes; you could experience dishes from all over India. Conversely, when we’d go to Punjab, where my parents were from, you would only find Punjabi food. I found it quite boring after a few days! Q There are countless subcuisines throughout India. Which is your favourite? A When I decided to become a chef, my father very smartly suggested I go to southern India, as that was the Indian food I’d experienced the least. I studied in Chennai for three years and…

SEASONS’S EATINGS SWEETCORN You know how peak-season tomatoes are a completely different fruit to the watery, tasteless ones you can get in the cooler months? Sweetcorn is the same. A fresh, recently picked cob is a wonderful thing that genuinely tastes sweet. Steam, roll in butter, pepper and salt, then enjoy (or see our seasonal produce feature on p110). FIGS Sure, they’re great eaten as they come, but if you halve a fig, sprinkle with sugar and put it cut-side down in a hot pan, it will caramelise and soften further, intensifying the flavour. Pair with balsamic vinegar-dressed rocket and goat’s cheese (or decent mozzarella) and you have the best salad you can make in September. PLUMS At any other time of year they can be like rocks, offering up…

STAR EMAIL ☆ Subject: Inspirational English From: Victoria Buob-Aldorf What a lovely, inspiring and modern cookbook l’ve discovered thanks to the July issue of delicious. featuring Emily English’s new book Live To Eat. I purchased it straightaway and couldn’t wait to start creating her nutritious contemporary dishes. As a chef, I’ve always loved trying out new recipes. Sometimes we’re like magpies pinching little ideas here and there from other like-minded foodies. Now I’m a chef manager at a secondary school educating the students in enjoying exciting, nutritious menus, and I’m sure l’ll have plenty of new dishes for them come September, thanks to Emily. Subject: Faith restored From: Barbara Rhodes I knew you could do it! What am I on about? The fantastic August issue with loads of naturally gluten-free…

ONE TIN BAKES I might argue that Nicola Lamb’s recent, brilliant book Sift is so clearly written a beginner could do very well using it, but for something simpler, yet with much genius, Bake Off winner Edd Kimber’s collection of 70 recipes from one tin is very hard to beat. As with all these books, the gold is in the author’s ability to place exceptional results within easy reach of the novice: clear instructions, recipes that forgive, few ingredients, simple processes and perfectly chosen combinations make this an essential for anyone looking to make delicious sweet delights. Why it’s an essential Whether you want to make traybakes, pies, cookies, pastries or other sweet treats, all you need is a 23cm x 33cm tin, a few ingredients, this book and sense…