Salmon, asparagus & pea salad with watercress dressing serves 6 This quintessentially English dish of pink poached salmon against a verdant selection of leaves is as vibrant as a sunny spring day. It is easy to put together and the fish and dressing can be prepared in advance, so it's ideal for entertaining. &nb...

This has all the comforting softness of a traditional dal but hardly any of the carbs. It is delicious served with curries or for breakfast or lunch with a couple of fried eggs. If I want to make it more presentable, I scatter over coriander or dollop on some Greek yogurt and mint leaves… delicious. Make sure you have all the ingredients re...

Lamb and Halloumi Kebabs   This is the ultimate fast food as the kebabs take just 3 minutes to cook on each side. The lemony marinade shown to us by friends Sandie and Peter Draper stops the meat from drying out. These can be done under a hot grill if you don’t have glowing coals outside. Serve the kebabs with lettuce ...

Lamb Shank Tagine This is ideal entertaining food, as it can either be prepared in advance or it will sit patiently in the oven while you assemble the rest of the meal. It also freezes well. Saffron adds an earthy flavour and golden colour to the dish, but if you don’t have it, leave it out. And if you are being v...

Zahda’s Tandoori Salmon and Prawns on Indian Flower Salad This recipe is from the Punjab where Zahda Saeed’s family originated. Zahda is a teacher and runs supper clubs. She loves to teach her style of Indian cooking passed down through the generations. Tandoori chicken is usually made using chicken thigh meat but works jus...

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette   Serves 4–6 For the dressing 8g mint leaves (no thick stems) 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 60ml extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper   For the salad 500g watermelon flesh, deseeded and cut into 3cm c...

The chef at our cookery school is Stefano Borella whose family came from the Italian mountains. When their supply of olive oil ran out his grandmother would use hot pork fat and her homemade vinegar to dress salad. I thought that sounded lovely so we experimented with using the fat in the pan after cooking bacon.           Thi...