Dad's Cuisine

Looking for ways to hide vegetables in a meal? Pine nuts, mint and cherry tomatoes combine in this courgette and goat's cheese tart that will have even the fussiest of diners asking for more. For as long as I've been encouraging Dad to cook healthy, tasty meals , getting him to eat vegetables has continued to be an ongoing battle. It's a battle that has been raging for most of his life.  I can clearly recall how the battle lines were drawn at the beginning of every meal at home. Mum, serving the food, would send over some friendly fire, nonchalantly adding some vegetables to Dad's plate by strategically concealing them behind a large potato. But Dad, eyeing the servings with gimlet eyes, would respond to the perceived unfriendly fire by protesting loudly that there were far too many vegetables on his plate ("That's enough!" he'd cry urgently, seeing a handful of peas dwarfed by a generous helping of beef and potatoes.) Eyes narrowed, he would proceed t...

Christmas spice cake Laced with deliciously warming spices, this Christmas spice cake is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Mum would spend the weeks leading up to Christmas frantically getting everything ready. Food, gifts, decorations: no-one did Christmas like my Mum. As was traditional, she would get the Christmas pudding started weeks in advance, on Stir-up Sunday ; one of my earliest memories is standing on the stool at the kitchen counter and giving the Christmas pudding the traditional stir while making an earnest wish. That was the start of Christmas when I was a child.  Christmas is one of the hardest periods of the year since Mum left us - it's never been the same as when I was a child. But I'm determined to make sure my kids have the same special memories of Christmas traditions that my Mum gave to me, because they last forever and bring comfort on some of the darkest days. So, I find myself running around frantically getting everything ready, just lik...

  Spicy prawn stew This spicy prawn stew is filling, as fiery as you like, and couldn't be easier to put together when you're pushed for time. One of my abiding memories from childhood is my parents' dinner parties. It didn't matter who they had invited - family, old friends, new acquaintances or work colleagues - they were always raucous affairs that lasted for hours. Mum generally made curries on these nights for two reasons: first, curries are fantastic dishes for sharing; and second, due to my childhood aversion to anything resembling spice, it meant my parents could enjoy a curry without me flailing around dramatically in reaction to the merest hint of heat (my brother and I would have to come and say hello to all the guests before being packed swiftly off to bed, with strict instructions to stay upstairs).  On those evenings, the dining room would come alive with exotic sights and sounds - oranges, reds and yellows crashing into each other;  the cracks of ...

Chestnut, bacon and cranberry loaf Sweet and savoury come together in this chestnut, bacon and cranberry loaf. A delicious, seasonal cake that's perfect for those chilly autumn days. Chestnut, bacon and cranberry loaf Autumn has crept up on us. It's hard to explain why we are constantly surprised by the changing of the seasons, but every year we exclaim and complain how chilly and dark it's getting, as if this is the first time it's happened and the universe is pranking us.  But this year, we aren't complaining. In a time where everything is uncertain and we're all having to adapt to a new way of living, it can be comforting to honour the season's rituals and welcome a change that is familiar.  In our family, autumn heralds a period of long walks and foraging in the forest for mushrooms and chestnuts.  After all, eating seasonal foods is good for your health and great for your wallet.  Now, I'm not overly confident when it comes to mushrooms; I can't...

No matter how much your family claims to hate cauliflower and broccoli, they'll be eating great florets of the stuff with this easy recipe for cauliflower and broccoli cheese Cauliflower cheese Cauliflower cheese - also known as cauliflower gratin - is possibly the most comforting dish known to mankind. I exaggerate, perhaps. But there's something so homely and reassuring about cauliflower cheese. It's a wonderful winter warmer, is great a side dish to a roast dinner and is a tasty choice for a quick lunch.  I don't know many (any)  people who would stand up and  claim cauliflower as their favourite vegetable. Yet, as the main ingredient in this dish, it's a winner. I've combined it here with broccoli because you can never have too much leafy veg, and I think the splash of green is appealing and breaks up the visual b landness of an otherwise monochrome dish. Cauliflower and broccoli cheese   And as they say, the secret is in the sauce. This easy recipe for c...

Roast asparagus and Hollandaise sauce A simple yet elegant vegetarian dish, roast asparagus and Hollandaise sauce is the perfect springtime recipe that can be enjoyed as a main or side dish. Roast asparagus and Hollandaise sauce is a deceptively simple dish that always seems to elicit appreciative oohs and aahs around the table.  The recipe uses simple ingredients that are pantry essentials, and takes only a few minutes to put together. There are plenty of other methods to making this sauce, but this one is a simple, no-frills method.  It's wonderful served at brunch, as a main dish with rice or as a side, and the Hollandaise sauce can be used with salmon when it's no longer asparagus season.  Roast asparagus and Hollandaise sauce 12 green asparagus spears 3 egg yolks 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp salt Pinch of Cayenne pepper 120g butter, melted 1 tbsp hot water Olive oil, salt and pepper Snap the asparagus spears (they have a...

Chestnut and feta cheese burgers Quick and easy to make and with a grown-up twist, chestnut and feta cheese burgers are a hearty, healthy vegetarian alternative to burgers.  Chestnut and feta cheese burger My favourite way to eat fresh chestnuts is roasted - ideally over an open fire, as Perry Como crooned. They take me straight back to those colder autumn days - in fact, one of our favourite weekend activities when the temperatures drop is to forage for mushrooms and chestnuts. But you don't need to wait until it gets colder outside to enjoy this recipe. Although I opt for fresh vegetables whenever I can, I always have tins of pulses and veg available to prepare something quickly. Lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, tomatoes, peas, corn and chestnuts are store cupboard essentials for me.   Chestnuts have a lovely meaty texture, so they're ideal for recipes where you want a bit of bulk. They're also sweet, making them versatile enough to use in both s...

Lentil and coconut soup Great for cooler evenings, this comforting vegan lentil and coconut soup will warm you up, inside and out. We're about to enter our fifth week of lockdown, and we're now used to this new normal. Who knew there were so many hours in the day? We have so much time! I think the thing I've noticed the most is the amount of meals we get through. Usually - in what we now refer to as the olden days - we'd share one evening meal, gathered around the table hastily telling each other about our days' ups and downs. I'd often make dinner 24 hours in advance, so I could just chuck it into the oven to heat up - a great time saver when you're in a rush, but it does make the evenings stretch out.  I no longer start my days gulping down a quick coffee and nagging the kids to hurry up or they'll be late for school. Lunch is no longer a hasty sandwich at my desk. We can no longer have cheat nights and order a takeaway for dinner. Everything...

Cheese and asparagus pastry pockets Spring is in the air. Celebrate the changing of the seasons with these cheese and asparagus pastry pockets. Cheese and asparagus pastry pockets April heralds the beginning of asparagus season, which is one of my favourite vegetables. I usually just roast them in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper, but lately I've had to get a bit more creative in the kitchen. Like most of you, I've been staying indoors over the past few weeks, keeping myself and my family as safe as I can. It means I can't see Dad, which is difficult for all of us, but we're keeping in touch every day and I send him some home-cooked meals a couple of times a week, much to his delight.  Spending all this time with my husband and kids (while working remotely full time and homeschooling two very energetic boys) has, beyond all expectations, been a real treat. But having to prepare three meals a day for four hungry mouths means that I hav...

SPICY KIDNEY BEAN STEW Looking for some healthy comfort food? This vegan spicy kidney bean stew is perfect for a quick and hearty supper. Kidney beans tend to be one of my kitchen staples. They're versatile,  incredibly healthy , satisfyingly filling, and while they can be fairly bland when they're eaten by themselves, they make a great alternative in ground beef dishes, and are perfect for soaking up the flavors in a sauce.  I was inspired to make this dish after visiting Mexico and not eating a single chili dish while I was out there.  After eating mountains of guacamole and tons of tacos, I was craving something spicy when I got home. But an authentic Mexican chili (not chili con carne, which is a Tex-Mex dish) usually uses jalapeño peppers and chili powder, whereas I wanted a dish that was spicy without being fiery. In fact, this spicy kidney bean stew has more in common with the lentil dhal I made a few weeks ago....