Notes about Recipes in this book

• The ultimate minestrone

  • Jesmondgirl on September 20, 2021

    Had no carrots and doubled the red cabbage. Used a tin of ratatouille as well as tomatoes and a splash of Madeira instead of red wine. Used tinned green lentils instead of the beans at the end. Tasty and filling soup with leftovers for lunch.

• Broccoli soup with Gorgonzola

  • peterward on March 19, 2017

    Page 64

• Trofie with potatoes, beans, and pesto

  • anniecc on June 01, 2024

    This was ok, but made with shop pesto we felt it needed something else to lift it - I added kalamata olives.

• Best ever plum crumble

  • peterward on May 17, 2022

    Page 257

• Cleopatra's tomato soup

  • Emily Hope on August 18, 2011

    This was a delicious and unusual variation on tomato soup--I like the richness that the coconut milk provides, the slight heat from the chiles, and the vaguely Indian spicing. Recommended.

• Pasta with roasted tomatoes and garlic

  • pinkpaisleyxx on September 03, 2024

    I use basil. And the whole bulb of roast garlic too. Although I reduce the butter slightly. This is the only recipe I can be bothered skinning cherry tomatoes for! It's sumptuous & I've made it loads of times.

• Sage, Florence fennel, and Pernod pasta

  • saladdays on November 24, 2011

    This is one of the best ways of cooking fennel I have found. the addition of the Pernod to the slow cooked fennel seems to heighten the taste and soften it. Fennel can be tough if not gently cooked. We have lots in our garden to cook before the first frost!

• Damson and almond pudding

  • saladdays on November 03, 2012

    A stunning but homely dessert to impress your guests. The almond and buttermilk 'cobbler' topping enhances the tartness of the damsons. You may want extra sugar on the table for the sweet-toothed.

• Rowan jelly

  • suedudds on August 16, 2023

    Adding even a fraction of the peeled lemon rind specified in the recipe makes this jelly indescribably sour

• Fresh fig tart

  • AllieTaylor on May 08, 2020

    This is great! I found it took longer than 15 minutes to bake though. And I used bought pastry...

• Stuffed baked potatoes with pesto

  • anniecc on November 11, 2023

    This was a bit disappointing. Used crumbly Lancashire cheese and shop-bought pesto. The topping didn’t really go brown, even with an extra 5 minutes in the oven, and the flavour was just ok. Perhaps would have been better with some grated cheddar or Parmesan on the top, and maybe less creme fraiche.

• Mushroom pasta

  • greenqueen888 on June 04, 2025

    Used cream cheese as I didn’t have any crème fraiche in the fridge and also tossed in some peas. Beautiful delicate lemon flavour.

• Roasted pepper soup

  • nardia_joy on July 10, 2012

    add the onion a little later so it doesnt dry out so much add goats cheese!

• Chard and nutmeg farfalle

  • saladdays on March 22, 2014

    A simple recipe which is quick to prepare. I used the last of our chard from the garden which was, of course, very fresh. I didn't whizz up the chard sauce with a blender as it seemed unnecessary as it was already finely chopped to cook. Be generous with the nutmeg as it adds a great taste.

• Orange and cranberry pies

  • Lovestocook on January 07, 2016

    These were a wonderful alternative to mince pies (not popular in our house). Great flavour from the filling. Pastry was a little tricky to work with but was fine after 30 mins in the fridge. Will be repeating.

• Nord1jus

  Her recipes are simple and delicious, I wish I could have all the fruit and veg for the recipes in our own garden!

  Full review