The British Larder Inspirational recipe diary

Cracked Wheat, Walnut and Pomegranate Salad

Packing a lunch box to work is something of the past. Most work places have a lunchtime offer on site and if  not there’s enough expensive temptations on the high …

Celeriac Espuma with Ras-el-Hanout Steamed Tiger Prawns

This delightful Celeriac Espuma with Ras-el-Hanout Steamed Tiger Prawns makes a perfect amuse bouche or canapé to tickle your taste buds and keep your guests very happy. I love every …

Fine Pear Tart

I’m very excited about this fine pear tart.Firstly I had made a fresh batch of rough puff pastry and was very pleased with myself. Secondly I have finally followed a …

Gorgonzola and Smoked Bacon Polenta Breakfast Muffins

The warm aroma  of melting cheese mixed with smoky bacon is enough to make anyone salivate. There is something magical about these Gorgonzola and smoked bacon breakfast muffins. The tiny …

Conference Pears Under Pressure

The inspiration for this recipe came from the book ‘ Under Pressure’ by Thomas Keller. I love this recipe for many reasons, one of which is that the pears do …

Bite Size Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Doughnuts could be described as devils food; you simply just can’t get enough of them. Or shall I say that’s my excuse!

As these Bite size cinnamon sugar doughnuts  limit …

Quince Brule Tarts

Quinces were introduced to Britain during the late 16th century from the Mediterranean. It made its appearance at the end of a large banquet, as it  helped with the digestion …

Banana and Date Loaf

Inhale a deep breath of air; the aroma of freshly baked Banana and Date Loaf caresses your nose and all your senses. My mouth starts to water and the memories …

The Celebration of the Pigs Cheeks

Ever thought of eating pigs cheeks? If the thought ‘oh no not for me’  enters your mind then I advise you to think again. Once we cooked this dish, Ross’s …

Funky Bircher Muesli

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Oats and whole grains are perfect as they release energy slowly. The attraction for this recipe is that there is no …

Pork Belly Croquettes with Roasted Corn Cream

Pork Belly is food for the gods in our home.

I use the sous-vide cooking method for this recipe of Pork Belly Croquettes . It does take 12 hours but …

Wholesome Pearl Barley and Beetroot Salad

Warm or cold;starter,main course or accompaniment, this recipe ticks all these boxes. It’s one of my favourite salads, it’s healthy and absolutely delicious. I make this dish in the summer …

Velvet Chocolate and Beetroot Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Spread

The rich chocolate with a hint of beetroot is enough to suppress the guilt of indulgence. The fibrous beetroot enhances the richness of the chocolate and makes this recipe truly …

Daniel Clifford of Midsummer House, Cambridge

The question that needs answering is-what can a top chef learn from a food scientist and vice versa?

Daniel Clifford of Midsummer House in Cambridge talks to Jane Parker from …

Milk Tart

This recipe takes me back to my childhood. South Africans would know the name of this dish as Melk tert and not surprisingly the English translation is Milk Tart. There …

Individual Square Rhubarb Tarts

Square is funky and fun. I love making these gorgeous looking rustic tarts. They always look attractive and catch the eye but I must confess the pretty pink forced rhubarb …

Jerusalem Artichoke and Haricot Bean Soup

This Jerusalem artichoke and haricot bean soup is rich, velvety and highly perfumed. The distinctive perfume of the Jerusalem artichoke is not everyone’s cup of tea but it certainly makes …

Vanilla Sous-Vide Rhubarb

Tender stem forced Yorkshire rhubarb is definitely recommended for this recipe. The soft pastel pink colour is trapped in the young skin of the forced rhubarb. If  the rhubarb is …

Gingerbread Men… the fella with the blue eyes.

There is a inner child hiding in every grown up, true! These gingerbread men bring that inner child out of me. This is truly a trip down memory lane, and …

Swiss Chard and Feta Cheese Cigarillos

One Friday morning Konstantina, a Greek lady that worked with me, came into the kitchen and asked if I would like to try a bit it of her mothers Spanikopita. …

Spelt Russet Apple Slice

The nutty wholemeal rich spelt shortbread base is a pure melt in the mouth delight. I spent a cold grey Friday wandering the streets of London looking for inspiration. I …

White Hot Chocolate Espuma with The Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

I had been asked to help out with a canapé function a couple of weeks ago. I got all excited, as I wanted to make Catharine’s ultimate very chocolaty brownies…

Catherine’s Ultimate Very Chocolaty Brownies

Chocolaty, gooey, deliciously rich is the only way to describe Catherine’s ultimate very chocolaty brownies. A few months ago the whole support team at work took part in a cooking …

Vinegar Air and Salty Crispy Potatoes

The inspiration for this recipe came from Daniel Clifford the chef at  the Midsummer House restaurant in Cambridge. We went there  for  lunch and were served a delicious canape of …

Quince Curd

Quinces are one of those rather romantic fruits, it’s speculated that these fruits were used as an aphrodisiac in the early days and with its appearance one could see why. …

Chocolate and Hazelnut Crackle Cookies

These Chocolate and Hazelnut crackle cookies are also known as our holiday cookies. Last Easter we went on another driving holiday to France. We rented a gite for a week …

Cinnamon Toast

My mother had this bizarre belief that if there is no fresh bread around it means there is no food in the house. For that reason we always had lots …

Spelt and Semolina Shortbread

I love the nutty sweet taste and aroma of spelt. It’s only recently that we have found spelt flour produced by Sharpham Park at Borough market and to my delight …

Green Chilli Chicken Wontons with Avocado and Lime Dip

Call me tight or stingy, but I do not like to waste food as there are too many hungry mouths in this world.

I make these green  chilli chicken wontons …

Spiced Apple and Olive Oil Cake

This Spiced Apple and Olive Oil cake is a tribute to an Egyptian chef who used to work with me. Using olive oil instead of butter makes this cake interesting. …

The Bilbao Breakfast

This recipe is a memory of last spring when we went to the Basque country, Northern Spain for a pure stuff your face weekend. We had a table booked for …

Hog Shank and Savoy Cabbage Terrine

Boiling ham is time consuming but nothing beats the taste and flavour of freshly boiled ham. Working in restaurants I have had my fair share of making terrines of all …

Cinnamon Baked Plums

This recipe is one of the very first recipes that I specially produced for The British Larder.This website has been a dream in the making for a long time. The …

Russet Apple Compote

Russet apples are a naturally highly scented apple with a leathery skin. The scent of the russet reminds me of toasted hazelnuts. The Victorians liked to use the russets in …

Mango & Blackcurrant Espuma

Who would have thought that the old-fashioned Cream Whipper would have become fashionable again? Squirty cream had been at the forefront of Gastronomy during the 60’s and 70’s. They then …

Mini Cinnamon and Apple Whirls

Breakfast or afternoon tea will be a perfect time to enjoy these Mini Cinnamon and Apple Whirls. The Russet Apple Compote is a recipe that I have prepared and kept …

Semi-Dried Tomato & Comté Cheese Scones

Comté cheese is one of my favorite cheeses with a mild, distinctive fragrance and slightly sweet taste. These semi-dried tomato & Comté cheese scones are ideal for breakfast or as …

Brioche

The aroma of freshly baked bread is very hard to beat. It does remind me of home, the congregation of family and happy days around the kitchen table; chatting away …