Warm Caprese Salad with a roasted balsamic vinaigrette. This salad, which is my take on a classic caprese is sunshine on a plate and it’s the wonderful (and very simple) dressing that really makes it shine.  I’m slow-roasting the tomatoes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create a rich vinaigrette that simply oozes the delight of Mediterranean meals, sun kissed skin tingling with salt from the warm sea and gives us hope for the promise that we’ll be there again one day soon. The Haverhill Oil and Vinegar Pourers from Cole & Mason are perfect to make this dressing. Prep:  10 m ..read more

Welcome back to my Upside Down Cooking series.  For this one i’m making what must be my most requested thing, the classic Upside Down Chicken Pot Pie. I’m a massive fan of this kind of dish, warm and comforting and really quite simple to put together, particularly using this upside down method. I’m adding all my favourite veg; mushrooms, shallots, carrots and celery and of course peas but you should use whatever veg you love. There really are no rules. I’m then using some leftover roast chicken.  However, one of those inexpensive rotisserie chickens you can find at most supermarkets ..read more

The asparagus has finally made it into the supermarkets so I’m banishing winter from the cottage and forcing Spring with these Spring Quiche, including asparagus and goats cheese.  Quiche are so versatile, you can sauté any kind of vegetables and add any ingredient in season. I’m making two, a vegetarian one with mushrooms and another one with smoked salmon. I’m rolling complimentary herbs into the handmade pastry, fennel for the smoked salmon quiche and chives for the mushroom quiche. I’m baking them on a metal sheet pan so the heat rises from beneath to ensure no soggy bottoms although ..read more

Sometimes I have an idea but I have no clue how to actually bring it together or how it will work.  This Braised Garlic and Herb Cabbage with a Pea Mash and Sausages is one of those dishes that seemed to come together as I was cooking it. The Viking loves cabbage and I love The Viking so I try and use cabbage as often as I can. I’m a big believer in not messing around with veg too much. Cabbage has a unique, delicious taste if you cook it nicely and so some simple herbs and garlic is all you need to enhance that taste. Braised like this in chunky wedges ensures you keep the texture too a ..read more

Lemon, Garlic, and Rosemary Spatchcock Chicken I was recently sent a new air fryer from the lovely people at Lakeland. Brand new air fryer, brand new recipe and what I LOVE about the Lakeland Adjustable Large Drawer Air Fryer is its massive 9L capacity which means I can literally roast a whole bird in there. Now I’m spatchcocking this chicken which sounds gruesome but it’s actually really easy and I’ve made the most incredible garlic, rosemary and lemon butter that I’m slathering under the chicken skin and all over the bird. 40 minutes in the air fryer and you have the most golden, flavourful ..read more

Salt and Pepper Cauliflower Love Bites These little love bites are the perfectly crispy way to add a little tang to your Valentine’s Day and show your loved one just how sweet, salt and peppery you think they are! Great as a starter for two or even as a canape idea if you’re throwing a party for everyone you love. They’re also a brilliantly versatile dish that can be made in the air fryer or the oven. You’ll need plenty of freshly ground salt and pepper in these cauliflower love bites so the gorgeous, deep gloss red London Mills from Cole & Mason would be perfect. This recipe is inspired ..read more

A good nights sleep is vital for me to function like a normal human being.  Quite frankly if I’m grumpy or irritable, 50% chance is that I’m hungry (naturally) and 50% is because I didn’t sleep well. Fortunately the wonderful humans at Simba – the leading sleep-tech company, understand this too and so they sent me one of their award-winning (and most five-star awarded) Simba Hybrid Mattresses. I’ve been using it for about 7 days now and here’s my initial review. (I will come back and update this after 30 days as I feel you can’t truly review something like a mattress until you’ve experie ..read more

Upside Down Strawberry and Nutella Valentines Tart Welcome back to Upside Down Cooking and today I’m getting all romantic with this strawberry and Nutella Valentines Tart. I’m using honey, these cute candy hearts and freeze dried raspberries as well as mini marshmallows, fresh strawberries and maraschino cherries.  Then we drizzle our favourite hazelnut and chocolate spread all over. Cosy cushions of puff pastry are laid on top and get brushed with beaten egg. A blast in the oven turns the whole thing gloriously golden, gooey and caramelised and I’m sure just perfect for the ones you lov ..read more

Japanese Milk Bread is all the rage on social media right now and you can see why.  It’s like the fluffiest, bounciest loaf of bread that you’ll ever eat. It makes for great sandwiches but I think it works best toasted.  It’s a very similar recipe to Jewish challah bread or brioche but it’s just slightly fluffier that both and the reason for this is the roux-like tangzhong ‘starter’ that does something ‘sciency’ to the bread. However and whatever it does, it seems to work and it’s also ridiculously easy to do, so worth every minute for these spectacular results. For the tangzhong ..read more

KFC – Kosher Fried Chicken Ask any nice Jewish boy what he remembers from his grandmas cooking and I can guarantee it will be cake and something deep fried in crispy matzomeal breadcrumbs. This version is slightly healthier as I’m using a brand-new invention called an air fryer (you may have heard of it) which is in essence a mini oven and promises a crispy way to take up space on your kitchen counter. But just look at these beauties.  Perfectly yummy and tender on the inside and wonderfully crunchy on the outside.  Now, ff you’re wondering what exactly makes them ‘kosher’ apposed t ..read more