a jam for gluttons, all year around: plum jam

perfect plum jam

Kenny Hill was once an area entirely covered by jungle, just outside the city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Now known as Bukit Tunku, It was slowly tamed by man once plantation owners moved in and landscaped the hillside with terraces, to grow rubber trees and oil palms. By the 1970s, Kenny Hill was an affluent area for those who eschewed the hustle and bustle of downtown KL, and was filled with large houses and beautifully landscaped gardens. It is also where I grew up.

Towards the top of the hill, there lived a troop of wild monkeys, led by the most alpha male of all. His Fat Highness would sit in a clearing by the side of the road at dusk, surveying his monkey gang, to ensure that none of them had something that he didn't such as food; he looked like some kind of malevolent monkey Buddha.

chorizo and pepper stew

chorizo and pepper stew

One of my favourite comfort foods is a stew containing Spanish chorizo. I think it is something to do with the warming umami effect of smoked paprika, which satisfies in warm weather and soothes on colder days. This is one of my go-to, store cupboard recipes as I always have the ingredients to hand and it always seems to fit the bill, whatever my mood.

what's in season: september

plum wonderful!

September fattens on vines. Roses
flake from the wall. The smoke
of harmless fires drifts to my eyes.
Geoffrey Hill - September Song
(New and Collected Poems, 1952-1992)

In theory, September is the pinnacle of perfection in terms of the vegetable patch; a truly excellent month for fruit and veg such as sweetcorn, broccoli, apples, blackberries, damsons and early pears. That's the theory anyway. But as a result of fluctuations in the jet stream, a high altitude wind that has really put a dampener on the party, seasonal fruit and vegetables have been badly hit! Bah! It has been a truly terrible time for Britain's fruit and vegetable growers with our near-Monsoon conditions and the lack of pollination of fruit (yes, bees don't like the rain either).

the last gasp of summer and a delicious seasonal salad: kisir (bulgar wheat salad)

kisir: bulgar wheat salad

When I am trying to be thrifty, frugal and healthy, I take my own lunch into work. It saves me money and I am less tempted to splurge on expensive sandwiches and junk food. (I say less tempted advisedly. It doesn't always work as a preventative measure!) But there are always days when I can't always be bothered to prepare lunch or think up new ways of tantalising my taste buds and when I am offered an alternative where someone else has come up with delicious ideas for lunch, then I am often tempted from the path of thrift!

a taste of summer all year long: pickled peppers

pickled peppers

There is a little fruit 'n veg market stall around the corner from where I live, on Kentish Town High Road, next to the Co-op. It is run by a lovely couple from Kosovo. While they don't have the widest range of fruit and vegetables, and it's not always local, it is always good quality. I also get to have fascinating conversations about the best Balkan jam (plum apparently) and interesting stuffings for chicken!

something for the weekend? pomegranate roasted chicken

pomegranate roasted chicken

I find that it is never too early in the week to think about what I am going to cook for Sunday lunch, so this is my suggestion for something you might like to try this Bank Holiday weekend.

London temperatures spiked last week as if the weather was trying to atone for all the appalling conditions we have had over the past few months, Olympic fortnight not withstanding. Since my kitchen can reach furnace-like temperatures even during winter, the last thing I wanted to do was cook a traditional roast lunch. It was just too damned hot.

a real taste of an English summer: rose petal jam

rose petal jam

There are certain words that I find rather beguiling, from Samarkand and damask to honey and pomegranate. Some words are synonymous with their colours. They seem to glow and are full of vibrancy, such as poppy or hyacinth.

There are other words that as I read them I am aware of their scent, a sort of faint aromatic memory. Lavender and rosemary have a strong effect and obviously coffee. But one of the headiest of all is the scent of rose petals.

on life's big questions and the taste of stuffed aubergines . . . imam bayildi

imam bayildi - swoon!

Over the years I have been accused of Winnie-the-Pooh-like tendencies. I suspect this is as much to do with having a very little brain and obsession with where my next meal is coming from than any really philosophical leanings. But every so often I start to ponder Life's big questions. Tiddly pom!

halloumi and strawberry salad with sweet chilli lime dressing

strawberry salad

If you have never had halloumi cheese before you are in for a treat. Uncooked, halloumi is a white, rubbery textured cheese, with very little flavour except for salt! However, once it had been grilled, griddled or fried and dressed with a little lemon juice or a light dressing, it becomes fabulously tangy with a curious "squeaky" texture. I also think that the salty halloumi works really well with sweet fruit, especially strawberries, in a savoury salad, but why not try it for yourself?

stuffed vine leaves

stuffed vine leaves
(dolma)

It is quite hard to imagine how a recipe for stuffed vine leaves esteemed at the court of the 7th century Persian king, Khosrau II, beloved by the caliphs of Baghdad and cherished by the Ottoman sultans, was recorded in her book of reciepts by Lady Ann Blencowe, daughter of a mathematician and cryptographer and wife of a Northamptonshire Member of Parliament in 1694. She must have been quite a gal to recognise the quality of this delicious Middle Eastern mezze.

five! four! three! two! one! blast off for delicious rocket soup!

rocket soup

If this rocket soup had a soundtrack it would be more Barney the Dinosaur than Goldfrapp, but nonetheless it is the perfect summer soup. It is very easy to make and not in the least sophisticated - light but intensely savoury with a hint of pepper. 

This soup was topped with a few crunchy croutons I had made with some stale sourdough bread and some oil that had been used to fry up some chorizo - heavily infused with paprika and garlic. Heavenly.

a trip around the garden: herby potato salad

herby potato salad

My favourite potato salad is made with mayonnaise, spring onions and gherkins, but this salad, dressed with a herby vinaigrette comes a very close second. Salads with mayonnaise can be a bit cloying and claggy, but this one is light and tangy and perfect on a warm summer's day.