The smell of shepherd’s pie cooking is overlaid with memories, wafting me back to my own and my children’s childhood suppers. This version is pretty much my mum’s recipe made with the remains of a roast lamb joint instead of fresh minced lamb. Traditionally it’s a plain dish, the minced or chopped meat stirred…

Pilchards canned in tomatoes is cheap nutritious food with an image problem. The acidity of tomato goes extremely well with the rich, meaty flesh of pilchards, herring and mackerel and in this unusual recipe, carefully boned fillets of mackerel are rolled and cooked in a highly seasoned tomato coulis with peas. The mackerel are eaten…

Once again I find myself facing leftover roast chicken. We cooked a chicken on Saturday night, using my ancient beehive oven in the garden for the first time in years. God it was good, the bird succulent, the skin deliciously charred and I had enough leftover chicken for two salads. Last night it was a…

A pack of prawns is a useful freezer standby. They defrost quickly, are none the worse for their freeze and immensely versatile. When I faced a bowl of squashy cherry tomatoes en route for sauce and added it to sloppy onions with ginger and garlic, a pack of frozen prawns poshed it up no end….

This photo doesn’t do this stew-cum-fricasee justice. It’s the leftovers rather than the just-cooked dish because I forgot to take a photo. Ever since a spiky rosemary leaf inveigled its way under a dental crown and caused chaos, I chop those little spikes to dust. Here it mingles with garlic and lemon zest to season…

These beauties came from www.oystermenshop.co.uk usually a restaurant in Covent Garden. They, like others, are coping with the current Covid-19 crisis by turning the restaurant into a shop and selling fresh fish, seafood, free-range meat, fruit and veg from their trusted suppliers as well as a range of deli products and vital provisions. They deliver…

A friend of mine is in lockdown on Cowes. There are pros and cons for her and her husband but a very big pro is www.thetomatostall who operate a local box scheme. She is about to make Brown Tom (a moreish, herby, cheesy tomato gratin; pg 94 The Big Red Book of Tomatoes) and suggested…

Potato salad is a moveable feast and one that is always appreciated. It’s usefully make-ahead and goes with anything and everything, perfect for al fresco, bbq and pic-nic. I often just eat it on its own, sometimes with a soft-boiled egg and a few anchovies from a can. There are so many good add-ons. Chives…

During our short but eagerly awaited asparagus season I eat the juicy green spears as often as I can, usually boiled, sometimes griddled and often with soft-boiled eggs and folds of prosciutto and/or slivers of Parmesan. I rarely bother with an actual dressing, just adding a swirl of syrupy balsamico and another of my best…

This lovely salad is simple to prepare, looks extremely pretty and is delicious and surprising to eat. Whole or halved larger mushrooms are poached in an aromatic, chilli-flecked vinaigrette, cooled then stirred with diced tomato and flat leaf parsley. It is very good spooned over garlicky bruschetta or eaten in shallow bowls with spoon and…