• SashaJackson on April 06, 2017

  Though it may not grab you straight away - with it's lack of photographs and traditional ingredients lists - this is a fantastic book, bursting with great recipes and inspiration. Slater at his best.

• Breadcrumbs on March 02, 2016

  I have to admit, I wasn’t initially enamoured with this book, in fact the format in which the recipes are presented actually kind of ticked me off - why not make my life easier and list the ingredients Nigel? Over time though I come to love this little book. I don’t even notice the format. I now think of these recipes as little stories that invite the same creativity that led the author to choose this format in the first place.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Chicken burger with lemon and tarragon

  • westminstr on May 11, 2015

    These burgers were great! Very juicy and flavorful. I subbed preground turkey for homemade ground chicken. The ground meat is mixed with lemon juice, garlic, s&p, panko and herbs. He suggests a "good handful" of tarragon, but since my plant is still tiny, I subbed a mix of dill and chives. I also made four patties instead of six.

  • TrishaCP on May 04, 2018

    These were absolutely delicious. Like Westminstr, I used pre-ground turkey to simply things. I did whizz the other ingredients in the food processor to really get them blended before adding to the turkey. My tarragon plant is growing like crazy at the moment, so I used that herb and it was so tasty with the other flavors.

  • Elbea on February 01, 2021

    This is so simple and tastes fantastic. Rather than burgers I made meatball sized pieces which were cooked in the oven, then served in greek-style flat breads with rocket and seasoned yoghurt. I used thighs, which I think kept the final patties quite moist. I think flat leaf parsley, thyme, or basil would work really well if tarragon is unavailable. I will definitely make again!

• Chilli prawns with watermelon

  • Breadcrumbs on May 12, 2015

    p. 223 - Outstanding! Seriously yummy! This unassuming little dish far exceeded my expectations. What a delicious surprise! Prep is simple and I’ll cover it here because the Guardian has pulled the recipe from their site. Watermelon is sliced and tossed w the juice of a lime and some mint and coriander (I had neither and went with basil). Shrimp is marinated in some fish sauce with a pinch of sugar. Flour is combined with chilli flakes in another bowl (I used corn flour vs regular). Though NS doesn’t say so, I assumed he intended that the shrimp is marinated then tossed in the flour mixture before cooking. Thank goodness for the photo because the book’s instructions might have you simply mixing all the ingredients together. Anyway, shrimp is then fried and served atop your watermelon salad. One of the best shrimp dishes I’ve eaten or made in a long time. Absolutely delicious. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012106?commentId=9560624#9560624

  • chawkins on July 23, 2021

    Terrible instructions: NS never told you what to do with the four and red pepper flake mixture, but the accompanying photograph in the book looked like the shrimp were coated with something, so I just tossed the marinated shrimp in the flour mixture before pan-frying them. This resulted in delicious and slightly spicy shrimp with a very refreshing watermelon salad.

  • lou_weez on October 16, 2017

    Delicious and easy. The portion size was very generous too. Whilst the instructions weren't clear the picture did help.

  • Pamsy on July 20, 2020

    Great summer starter. I did simplify things by just marinating the prawns in lime juice & rind, chipotle chilli flakes, olive oil and dried oregano. Then griddled and served on chunks of watermelon.

• Pork with apple and maple syrup

  • Breadcrumbs on March 02, 2016

    p. 261 - Great recipe. For good measure, I toasted off some extra fennel seeds before adding oil to the pan. I then placed the pork atop the apple mixture, and drizzled some maple syrup over the lot. In almost no time the pork emerged fragrant, juicy and flavourful. The dish is self saucing and although I was a little concerned the mixture might be too sweet, it was perfect and ideally matched with the fennel-scented pork. I immediately started thinking about future possibilities, wouldn’t a little curry powder be nice in the spice rub, some chili flakes for a kick of heat for a change of pace now and then, I could change up the veggies in the late summer by adding zucchini or eggplant to the mix. Thanks once again Nigel of another little dish with big possibilities. Photo here: http://www.chowhound.com/post/2015-cotm-eat-chapters-5-7-pp-173-319-1012106?commentId=9817423

  • Gio on October 01, 2015

    Pg. 261. UK edition. 200C = 392F. Pork tenderloin at 1.2 lbs. I was slightly worried about the maple syrup here but I needn't have been. We used Grade B VT maple syrup and for me it simply added another layer of flavor in a dish that was absolutely delicious. Loved the apples and onions combo that mingled with the meat juices. Note to self: next time crusty bread.

  • FJT on December 02, 2015

    Absolutely delicious! The fennel seed is a lovely counterpoint to the sweetness of the apple / onion / maple syrup combination. I was slightly worried about how sweet it would be so I used Granny Smith apples and they worked really well. Simply served with roast potatoes this was a hit with everyone.

• Marmalade chicken

  • Breadcrumbs on May 12, 2015

    p. 271 - So this was just meh for us. I should have taken note of CH Linda’s experience and at least added salt because the dish really needed it and we’re not big salt users. I have the UK version of the book and it doesn’t call for salt, just pepper. I chuckle as I type this as my parents are British and I always tell folks that the only spices in our house were salt and pepper and they were used sparingly because my Mom hated anything “too spicy”! I’m sure she’d have enjoyed this dish! I followed along w the book but picked a normally super-flavourful grainy mustard (Kozlik’s Triple Crunch) & stirred in some fresh garlic heeding Gio’s note about upping the flavours. I found that the marmalade mixture just slid right off the chicken when I spooned it atop so I found myself basting throughout until I gained some traction with the caramelized sauce. Still, the dish was unremarkable for us. I wouldn’t make it again. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012106?commentId=9559291#9559291

  • okcook on January 23, 2014

    Extremely easy and ready in half an hour! Pretty tasty. I had a chicken breast also so I cut it into same size pieces as the drumsticks. They were done about 10 minutes before the drumsticks. The skin wasn't crispy. A quick minute or two under the broiler may help the crispness....or the coating may burn.

  • FJT on October 31, 2015

    I made this using chicken thighs and added dried pepper flakes suggested in one of the variations - so easy, so very tasty. Just took longer to cook than stated - I used an instant read thermometer to check when it was done and it was in the oven for about double the time stated - I think my oven may be on the way out. We loved this and I have a request to make the variation with mango chutney next!

  • Delys77 on June 05, 2017

    I'm with breadcrumbs, the actual glaze doesn't really stick and without the addition of some heat/seasoning it is bland.

• Asparagus, garlic, soy

  • Breadcrumbs on May 22, 2015

    p. 296 - Our turn with this and we definitely agree with Westminstress, a very nice treatment for asparagus indeed. I was worried it might be too salty but that wasn't the case at all. We really enjoyed this quick & tasty little dish. I par-steamed my asparagus as they were on the large side and then sliced the largest ones in half vertically to ensure even cooking. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012106?commentId=9572531#9572531

• Pork with blood orange

  • Breadcrumbs on May 09, 2015

    p. 35 - As I mentioned in another thread, I believe I scooped up the very last of the blood oranges in my neck of the woods and I’ve been using them judiciously. I set one aside for this dish and it was a wise use of my assets indeed! Instead of rib chops I opted to use pork tenderloin. I marinated the meat for 24 hours so the flavours of the marinade had infused throughout the meat. I wasn’t prepared to love the sauce as much as I did. It was perfectly balanced. Not too sweet, not too salty and just the right amount of heat. I wish I’d prepared rice as I’d love to have served the sauce atop the rice to sop it all up. No worries though, there was plenty of sauce left over so I snagged a couple of little pieces of pork as well and tomorrow’s lunch will be a stir-fry! btw, this made for a perfect weeknight meal as it only needed 20 mins in the oven. This will definitely reappear on our menu. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012106?commentId=9551718#9551718

  • chawkins on June 20, 2019

    Other than dealing with the oranges and the radishes, a very simple dish. I only marinated the chops for an hour, and it was quite tasty already. The oranges and the radishes were very refreshing, a good summer dish.

  • joneshayley on February 17, 2018

    The depth of flavour here is impressive. I thorough enjoyed the pork, the sauce and the oranges made this.

  • celesteprevost on July 17, 2018

    Super delicious sauce. Can sub any sweet citrus.

• Chicken, mushrooms and beans

  • Breadcrumbs on May 06, 2015

    p. 340 - I went with snap peas instead of the beans and because I had some roasted red pepper leftover, I tossed in a handful of that as well. I tasted the mix before adding in the additional soy at the end and opted to exclude it as the dish was salty enough for us and I used 2 b/s chx breasts vs NS’s one. This produced a serviceable stir-fry. Good, not great. mr bc liked it more than I did. It was a bit plain for my taste. I could see this recipe being a good starting point for someone wanting to dip their toe (or chopsticks) into wokking. It did get dinner on the table in under 30 mins so there’s something to be said for that! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012104?commentId=9553102#9553102

• Salt and pepper pork

  • Breadcrumbs on May 12, 2015

    p. 349 - Thanks to Gio on CH for drawing my attention this dish, it sounded scrumptious and I’m happy to report that it was! Since Gio didn’t get that numbing sensation I decided to toast my Sichuan peppercorns before crushing them with the black peppercorns. That seemed to be the key because I’m still feeling that lovely numbing sensation on my lips as I type. I just sprinkled in some sea salt to taste as I stir-fried the meat…maybe 3 good pinches. Anyway, we just loved this dish and since I was also serving NS’s Chilli Shrimp dish, which is served atop a watermelon salad, I decided to serve this in the same manner vs atop the lettuce. For the photo, I took the opportunity to plate my pork in my lovely “ants having some summer fun” bowls that I purchased at London’s wonderful Old Spitafield’s Market. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1012104?commentId=9560641#9560641

  • rosten on April 02, 2016

    Ridiculously delicious for how easy it is.

• Smoked mackerel with peas and edamame

  • wester on January 15, 2022

    Simple, and good but not brilliant. I think using just edamame or just peas instead of both might be as good or better.

• Tomatoes, cucumber and anchovy

  • wester on July 05, 2018

    This looks like two recipes, one for the tomatoes and one for the cucumber, but the combination really is more than the sum of its parts. Excellent. I added a drop of vinegar and two leaves of mint to the dressing.

• Chickpeas, tomato, spice and spinach; a thick but light chickpea soup-stew

  • wester on January 02, 2022

    An excellent simple soup, especially if you have people over and don't want to spend too much time cooking. Fry an onion, add everything but the spinach, simmer for half an hour or until people want to eat, stir in spinach, eat. Very flavourful too. Easy to scale up. Vegan and gluten free. Store-cupboard if you have leaf spinach in the freezer.

• Baked red mullet with fennel and leeks

  • wester on November 07, 2015

    The flavors were good, but I was quite disappointed to find the fennel wasn't close to being done after 20 mins. Either precook the vegetables or cut them smaller. The latter method would stop the fish from falling off the vegetables too. I used shallots instead of leeks, and reinserted the liver in the fish after cleaning them. Both worked well.

  • leahorowitz on May 21, 2014

    Added some new potatoes to the vegetables. Used fillets instead of whole fish and only added them after the vegetables had roasted for 30 mins. The fillets are ready very quickly, mine took about 4 to 5 minutes.

• Chicken with orange and sherry vinegar

  • wester on May 27, 2015

    The orange juice really helps bring color to the chicken, and a nice taste too. My 8 year old son loved it.

• A late-night sardine supper

  • wester on January 06, 2023

    I had some leftover sardines and some fava beans in the freezer. This made a nice little bite.

• Chicken with fennel and leek

  • wester on December 10, 2015

    A very simple soup/stew, but somehow everything is just right. The whole family loved it. I left it on the stove quite a bit longer than the recipe said, but that was no problem.

  • FJT on March 21, 2018

    This is so simple and so tasty. We loved it. I've been a bit out of the cooking groove lately - I have very limited cooking facilities in the rental apartment we're in for a few months plus finding ingredients that I'm used to having about has been hard - so I needed something easy and not using too many ingredients. This ticked the box and I'll happily make it again in the future.

  • chawkins on June 15, 2022

    Get both fennel’s and leeks from the garden. Searching on EYB brought me here. Very simple and easy and delicious. Served with rice to soak up very bit of the gravy.

  • Clog on February 10, 2021

    Works a treat. Straightforward too. Benefits from being served with floury potatoes as suggested in the recipe.

• Cod with lemon, tarragon and crème fraîche

  • wester on November 05, 2021

    Simple and good. I would have preferred less lemon (but then my lemons were quite large) but my mother thought it was perfect. I used pangasius.

  • FJT on September 04, 2015

    So very simple and quick to make, but full of flavour. This was a hit!

• Aubergine and chickpeas

  • wester on February 11, 2023

    This was quite good - if you enjoy the textures of both aubergine and chickpeas, which I do. Quite a small portion - only for two persons if they are not very hungry. I added some more oil and some yogurt to the mash to loosen it a bit more, and will do so again next time.

• A cream of cauliflower soup with mussels

  • wester on August 23, 2014

    This was a good soup. I wasn't sure it needed both mussels and hazelnuts but my husband liked the combination. I prefer using either one but noth both. I made this with leftover mussels and mussel broth that I had frozen, steaming the mussels over the caulilower to warm them. This worked well.

• Chicken with bacon and chilli-coriander mayo

  • wester on January 09, 2019

    Extremely simple dinner when you have some leftover chicken. Son loved it, he didn't even mind the coriander leaves. As much as I love mayonnaise and bacon, the amount of mayonnaise can be halved and the bacon isn't really necessary.

• The sweetness of carrots, the coolness of mint

  • wester on July 18, 2018

    Nice, not spectacular. ETA: the second time I made this I really liked it but the rest of the family wouldn't touch it.

• Courgettes with bacon gremolata

  • wester on August 07, 2014

    Simple and good. I usually find the taste of gremolata too overpowering, but this wasn't, although it was deeply savoury. The courgettes go with it very well. I subbed almond meal for the breadcrumbs to lower the carb content.

  • leahorowitz on June 09, 2014

    available online: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/24/nigel-slater-midweek-courgette-gremolata

• Chicken, chickpeas, parsnips. A winter dinner

  • wester on November 16, 2020

    A decent enough winter stew, but not brilliant. It's very beige - leave the lid off for the last few minutes, or add some parsley. Also, this is not for two persons like most of the recipes in the book, but four or even six. Be careful not to add to much salt.

• Spiced roast chicken, creamy mashed beans

  • wester on May 27, 2015

    I forgot to make the beans, but my husband really liked the chicken, and so did I.

• Sardines, potatoes and pine kernels

  • wester on January 06, 2023

    Very simple and good, The low carb version with cauliflower instead of potatoes worked well too.

• Sausage balls, mustard cream sauce

  • wester on October 15, 2017

    Excellent everyday fare. Served with mashed potatoes and green beans, and the sauce went very well with both. Do take care the stock you use isn't too salty and only add salt in the end if at all, else it can easily end up too salty. ETA: also works well with chicken. Add some tarragon then.

• Miso chicken - possibly my favourite fast-food recipe ever

  • wester on May 02, 2018

    Too sweet for me. Might make it again with sherry or white wine instead of mirin.

  • Indio32 on November 18, 2018

    Have just made this for my lunch..... Delicious! served with some brown jasmine rice and tenderstem broccoli and a glass of lemon water. Cooked the chicken thighs on a griddle rather than under the grill as the recipe called for because grilling is to much of a faff for 2 thighs. Will try oven baking next time and butterflying the thighs for a quicker more even cooking. Didn’t find this dish overly sweet.

• Pork with mustard seed and yoghurt

  • wester on December 06, 2015

    Very easy, very tasty. The kids loved it too. ETA: Also very good as meatball mix-in. Use less yogurt.

• Bacon and beans

  • wester on January 16, 2018

    One of those recipes I love Nigel Slater for. Extremely simple and very tasty, a warming winter dinner. A pity the kids didn't agree with me.

• Chicken with prosciutto, crème fraîche and tarragon

  • wester on January 15, 2016

    I loved this, but I don't think I will be making it again soon, as the children didn't like it and my husband doesn't like large amounts of cream in his food.

  • chawkins on August 11, 2021

    Prosciutto and tarragon goes well together. Did not have creme fraiche, so use Greek yogurt thinned with a bit of chicken broth. Very easy and real tasty.

• Green spinach, smoked mackerel, ribbons of pasta

  • wester on January 09, 2019

    Good and simple. I like it best when there is plenty of spinach, about twice as much as the mackerel in the finished dish, else the mackerel gets a bit overpowering. I think I will add some mustard next time.

• Smoked mackerel and green beans

  • wester on October 05, 2015

    Simple and good, but the amount of cream seemed excessive. I halved it and used creme fraiche instead of double cream, with good results.

• Tomato Caesar bruschetta

  • Gio on May 02, 2015

    Online recipe (second one down). http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/18/vegetable-recipes-nigel-slater

• Spicy sausage, soft, floury bap

  • Gio on March 14, 2014

    3. 13. 14. Page 298. Loved this. Lots of flavor. Included caramelized red onions, mixed the mayo with Sriracha, omitted the watercress. (didn't have any) Everything on a soft potato roll.

• Potatoes with spices and spinach

  • ellabee on October 25, 2014

    Tasty, nutritious, and very little of the cooking time is active. Save a pan by wilting the spinach in the same pot you use to parboil the potatoes.

• Paprika, mustard chicken goujons

  • Cati on October 01, 2014

    He uses Dijon mustard. I used hot english mustard. It was hardly noticeable ,seemed to be diluted with the frying. Not as dominant as mustard flavour in Israeli chicken by Diana Henry. Still very nice meal.

• Chorizo and potatoes

  • okcook on January 25, 2014

    At the end of cooking time the dish was not even close to being as brown as the picture. I put it under the broiler to get it a bit browner/crispier. The combo of ingredients made for a very pleasing dish. Maybe turn the oven temp up from the getgo.

• Lamb shanks. The richness of Port

  • mcvl on September 13, 2020

    I would never have thought to put these flavors together, but they work perfectly.

• Tuna and cucumber salad

  • mcvl on November 23, 2020

    Genius dressing -- I am sure I will make it in all kinds of other contexts.

• A light chicken ragù

  • Astrid5555 on October 27, 2013

    Light as promised, but a bit disappointing. Not a usual Nigel Slater winner, family still liked it.

• Sausage lasagne

  • Astrid5555 on January 13, 2014

    Really delicious and quick, but not on the light side. Used half fresh and half canned tomatoes since this was what I had on hand. Will go into the regular rotation.

  • lou_weez on June 04, 2020

    Super quick to make and delicious. I used fresh pasta sheets and chicken sausages as that's what I had.

• Lentil Bolognaise

  • lilham on January 12, 2014

    I made this pretty much as written, except for using half the volume of water and adding some frozen peas to the sauce towards the end of cooking. A short cut I used was to use a hand mixer and just whizz the sauce inside the saucepan, instead of emptying half into a blender as instructed. The puy lentils took 25min to cook to the consistency I liked. This is very good and different from a normal vegetarian bolognese. (It doesn't use tomatoes).

  • SashaJackson on March 17, 2017

    Delicious though I used 300g of lentils which gave me enough ragu for 8 (to freeze half for another meal). I would recommend some additions after cooking this a few times: 2 diced celery, couple of bay leaves, tsp oregano, pinch of dried chilli, 3 tbsp of tomato puree, a splash of red wine. Also a non vegetarian version with a pack of smoked pancetta lardons added.

  • pistachiopeas on April 22, 2015

    Loved the preparation and flavor of the lentils but did not care for having them with pasta. Much too starchy.

• Smoked haddock and leek cakes

  • lilham on May 13, 2015

    Very bland. Won't make again.

• Vietnamese prawn baguettes

  • lilham on May 23, 2015

    I didn't have enough raw king prawns so I topped it up to 250g by using a bag of frozen seafood mix in my freezer. It has pre-cooked mussels, shrimps and squid, all pre-cooked. I served this as part of a picnic and it's lovely.

  • lou_weez on November 30, 2017

    Tasty and great for those nights when you can't be bothered to cook but want to eat something delicious.

• Salmon, spinach, garlic

  • saladdays on January 05, 2014

    Salmon needs careful frying, the pieces I used were rather thick so needed longer at a low heat. The spinach with garlic was very tasty though as it is cooked in the same pan.

• Smoked haddock with lentils

  • saladdays on December 13, 2013

    This is the ultimate in comfort food. Smoked haddock cooked in double cream, which is then added to the cooked lentils! Keep an eye on the lentils as they cook as the liquid may need topping up. A classic easy supper which provides two generous portions.

  • Pamsy on August 17, 2019

    This is so good and easy to make. Watch the salt, you can always add more at the table but you can't take it away! Agree with saladdays - this is the ultimate comfort food!

• Gammon, crème fraîche, two mustards

  • saladdays on December 14, 2013

    This simple and tasty recipe uses another variation on a classic Nigel Slater sauce that he uses often in his books. I used double cream instead of crème fraîche as I had some to finish and added more lemon juice - less healthy but very delicious!

• Lamb with yoghurt and turmeric

  • FJT on June 17, 2017

    This was OK but nothing special. Really couldn't tell the lamb had been marinaded other than the fact that the yoghurt marinade made a lovely mess in my cast iron pan!

• Grilled lamb with minted feta

  • FJT on April 02, 2016

    Nice enough as written, but we found the feta cream was improved by a squeeze of citrus (I used lime but lemon would work well too). This seemed to enhance the taste of the mint which was in danger of playing second fiddle to the feta even though I used more than the 10 leaves suggested. The lamb was delicious.

• Spiced haddock chowder

  • FJT on January 07, 2016

    This was nice enough but you need to dice your root veggies really, really small. I went with 0.5 cm dice and this meant it took ages to cook through plus the swede - rutabaga - cooks slower than the other veggies and should most definitely have gone into the an before the rest. If your knife skills are better than mine and you don't use a large carrot or potato - or you have an enormous skillet - you might get the veggies cooked through in the times given, but I'm sceptical! Also (and I did think this before I started) it really isn't at all spicy ... I think I would add something else if there is a next time. My ratio of veggies to fish was way off so this wasn't a great success, but it was nicely warming and, done right, could be lovely.

• Chorizo and sweet potato mash

  • FJT on September 06, 2015

    Quick and simple to make (the hardest thing is peeling and dicing the sweet potato!) and extremely tasty. What's not to like? I served this with some stir-fried savoy cabbage which nicely offset the sweetness of the potato and assuaged my need to serve something green on every dinner plate! This is a great quick supper for weeknights.

• Pinto beans, chorizo and tortilla

  • FJT on April 01, 2016

    Simple and tasty supper. I could imagine that the chorizo / bean / onion mixture would also work well with a cheesy mashed potato topping!!

• Mustard, mango chutney, Worcestershire sauce, a spiced chicken sandwich

  • FJT on January 03, 2016

    Delicious combination - better even than the marmalade chicken that this is a variation of!

• Cider thighs

  • FJT on September 07, 2015

    Tasty, but much much soupier than I had anticipated (although I didn't let on) - I shredded the chicken thighs into the mixture and just served it as a soup! I didn't have the extra time to spend reducing the liquid, so this solution worked for me.

• Lamb fillet with harissa and sesame

  • FJT on July 11, 2021

    This was a nice, simple and tasty way to cook lamb fillet. Mine took a bit longer than 10 mins in the oven to cook to a nice pink that everyone was happy to eat (not bloody!). Will make again.

• Spatchcock chicken, rocket, couscous

  • Delys77 on April 22, 2021

    Good bones in this recipe. it comes together in a little over an hour and is a whole meal with a protein, starch, and leafy green. Overall the flavours are nice but I would suggest quite a bit of lemon at the end to jazz everything up. Also chop the arugula before mixing in. i would even consider adding the arugula when you are plumping the couscous so that it wilts a bit. Overall I think this recipe has good potential.

• Chicken breasts, Madeira, the luxury of double cream

  • chawkins on January 07, 2023

    As with most recipes in this book, easy, simple, quick and quite tasty.

  • Pamsy on November 14, 2021

    I used 1 large, horizontally sliced breast for 2 of us, so no need to use the meat mallet. The sauce was delicious, first time I'd cooked with Madeira. It was also the first time I used plant based cream (due to dairy intolerance) and it did an excellent job in the sauce, smooth and no weird taste (unlike some of these products). One of the best things I've cooked in ages! Served with tenderstem broccoli and baby new potatoes.

  • Indio32 on September 01, 2021

    Made this for tonights supper. Used boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than the called for chicken breast. Also after cooking the thighs I sautéed some chestnut mushrooms to add some more flavour & texture. Found the amount of cream a bit stingy so added a bit more. Eaten with plain boiled rice and wilted spinach. First time I've cooked with Madeira and really liked it. Nice, easy, tasty & quick week night supper.

• Smoked salmon and green peppercorn macaroni

  • chawkins on January 21, 2020

    Need to use up some smoked salmon I got for Christmas and I had all of the three ingredients called for. Simple, quick and quite nice.

  • leahorowitz on June 09, 2014

    available online: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/26/nigel-slater-pasta-salmon-recipe

• Cherries, tomatoes and salami

  • LouiseStaley on December 29, 2013

    Perfect on a summer day in the post Christmas glow. The plate is a riot of red, the cherries offset the salami and the tomatoes bring acidity.

  • lou_weez on April 24, 2017

    A delicious way to use up those extra cherries. I added bocconcini to the salad and used a sticky fig balsamic vinegar.

• Chicken, earthy spice, sweet sharp apricots

  • Susan_F on December 03, 2013

    Very easy to make and really tasty. Very liquid though, more like poaching the chicken in the stock than a sauce. Afterwards I had some chicken and a lot of 'broth' left over, so I've shredded the chicken and blended the onions, tomatoes, apricots and liquid. Put them together again and hopefully I'll have a nice soup for tomorrow's lunch. Edited to add that the soup was very spicy, but absolutely delicious. Will definitely make this one again.

• Stir-fried chicken with cashews and broccoli

  • Susan_F on May 21, 2014

    Quite bland - I was disappointed with this and won't make it again.

• Quick spiced rice

  • leahorowitz on June 09, 2014

    available online: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/25/quick-spice-rice-recipe-nigel-slater

• Sweet and garlicky peppers

  • leahorowitz on October 11, 2015

    Takes some time until the peppers and onions are sweet but it's definitely worth the time. I added some thyme instead of basil, a small amount water when it seemed to become too sticky and a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar in the end.

• Spiced mushrooms on naan

  • leahorowitz on June 09, 2014

    available online: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/19/nigel-slater-spiced-mushrooms-naan

• Roast chicken pho

  • Kitchenangel on August 08, 2014

    I like to add ginger and garlic to the chicken marinade, also garnish dish with plenty chopped basil mint and coriander. This is truly a gem of a dish!

• Fish fingers in a sandwich, green herb mayo

  • mckittrickp on December 29, 2017

    Happy Days p39

• Trout in a soft bap

  • joneshayley on May 26, 2018

    Basic, delicious idea.

• Sweetcorn and haddock. A cheat's chowder

  • joneshayley on June 28, 2020

    Super fast , ready and delicious. Next time I’d use half cream half stock for a lighter result

• Duck with beans

  • joneshayley on November 15, 2017

    My go to duck recipe- simple ingredients and methods, resulting in complex and beautiful flavours.

• Philly cheese steak with tagliatelle

  • joneshayley on March 11, 2019

    This was delicious- fast , easy and so very comforting.

• Satay drumsticks

  • joneshayley on March 06, 2019

    The sauce is very cloying and I halved the peanut butter. I think it would be inedible with the full amount. The drumsticks came out very tasty, but the bean sprouts coated in the sauce were not nice.

• Asparagus cannelloni

  • joneshayley on May 19, 2018

    Absolutely delicious I found I didn’t need to part boil the sheets and only baked for 18 minutes- came out perfectly and both the lasagne and asparagus were cooked through. I’ll make this again.

• Pork tenderloin, ponzu dipping sauce

  • joneshayley on October 09, 2019

    Easy and delicious. The recipe is somewhat vague in how to cook - I roasted without water for 20 minutes, and for the dressing I used 1 teaspoon of each of the ingredients

• Blue cheese mac

  • joneshayley on January 27, 2019

    Cheesy and delicious- the blue cheese is much milder than I’d thought, not at all overpowering. I added broccoli which worked very well. Yum

• Chicken thighs, golden skin, herbs, a flash of lemon

  • pistachiopeas on May 01, 2015

    Great flavors. If using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, I recommend finishing them in oven before adding wine to make a pan sauce.

• Mozzarella chorizo sandwich

  • pistachiopeas on May 01, 2015

    Couldn't be any easier in terms of preparation. I used arugula instead of spinach because the arugula provided a very nice contrast to the richness of the sausage and mozzarella. Even my partner who isn't crazy about arugula thought it was a nice touch. It would have been a bit bland with just spinach. I think I'd make this again, if I needed to make a quick meal, or had rolls on hand.

  • annmartina on February 29, 2016

    Feel free to play with sausage types.

• Chocolate oat crumble

  • swegener on February 13, 2015

    Smitten Kitchen did a play off of this recipe, which is a very versatile little dessert. I made it with my own variation. I used pears, and raspberries/blackberries, but instead of maple syrup I used half honey and half pomegranate molasses. The tartness of the pomegranate really played well with the raspberries and chocolate.

• Lentils with scallops. The reassurance of a classic

  • AudreyFromNe on May 15, 2015

    U.S. version THE REASSURANCE OF A CLASSIC p 280 Chosen as my 2nd scratch meal since hip replacement a couple of weeks ago because of its ease and simplicity (canned/jarred braised lentils with garlic, thyme, salt, & bay leaf sided to fresh cod cooked in foaming butter with parsley & a splash of wine vinegar.) Both were quite tasty and will be marked as keepers for a quick dinner. I served them with corn which was pretty but made the plate much too starchy - next time would do beans, broccoli or similar.

• Cheese and apple couscous

  • Hannaha100 on September 21, 2016

    Made without walnuts due to allergies. Tried with and without cheese but definitely better with. Nice as a side salad, not convinced as main. May have been too timid with the fennel? Will experiment again with juice and couscous.

• Duck burgers

  • ellencooks on January 20, 2019

    I made this but with goose breast and an apricot rather than a plum. Served on a bun.

  • lou_weez on October 08, 2017

    Delicious! These were quick and easy to make. A fantastic weeknight meal. Next time I would serve these up in a burger bun, or soft tortilla with some sweet chili sauce.

• Gratin of kale and almonds

  • e_ballad on July 09, 2017

    Loved this. With its double cream, bechamel & generous Parmesan, I'm sure one mouthful would render it impossible to fit into your pants, but it's worth it.

• Black garlic and almond chicken

  • e_ballad on July 09, 2019

    I couldn’t get the black garlic paste to properly stick to the chicken breast & what little was there ended up being burned long before the chicken was cooked. Terrible recipe.

• Onion and mushroom toad in the hole

  • Pamsy on October 13, 2020

    Something went wrong here and I'm not sure what! My toad did not rise and puff up. I used chestnut mushrooms instead of porcini and added a sliced chorizo sausage along with a finely sliced onion. They were sauteed together for 15 minutes and added to the roasting pan as instructed along with the batter. Baked for 25 mins as per recipe. Oven was at correct temperature. The only thing I can think of is that I used a smaller roasting pan? Flavours were good but won't be repeated.

• Carrot, black beans and coriander

  • vglong29 on July 26, 2020

    This is simple to make and tastes good but 2 cans of black beans is too much. Only used 1 can.

• Warm steamed cabbage, cream and mustard. Crisp bacon

  • Clog on February 15, 2023

    Steamed cabbage on its own is pretty boring, with overtones of school dinners. The cream and mustard really lift this dish into a worthy side dish.

• Cucumber, fennel and ricotta salad

  • Sbst on February 02, 2021

    Fresh and easy to make. Crunchy and soft textures. Recipe indicates up to 30 min resting time for the vegetables in the dressing.

• Kohlrabi, blood orange and coppa

  • Hansyhobs on February 02, 2023

    Fine. Used puntarelle instead of frisee

• Food52

  2015 Piglet Community Pick. My copy is now a bright flurry of “to make!” and “to make again!” Post-Its. I can't think of higher cookbook praise than that.

  Full review

• Boston Globe by T. Susan Chang

  ...some recipes can turn out to seem hasty, when quick was what was intended. Still, as an idea book, it’s revolutionary. And most of these ensembles have the potential to turn into ravishing dishes..

  Full review