Nothing adds zest and flavour to a dish like a paste made from fresh herbs - and now's the time to use the last of the coriander, basil and dill. It was one of those late-summer days of parched soil, piercing skies and ugly light ...

A soup to warm the cockles of your heartThe recipeScrub 400g of new potatoes, then halve or quarter them depending on their size. Peel and roughly chop an onion, put it in a large deep pan, then add 500ml of water and 500ml of milk. ...

For a delicious late-summer sweet treat, soak some plums in sugar and pop them in the fridge. For the more adventurous, make a plum sauce - perfect for duck pancakesCoffee is always the first thing to pass my lips in the morning. And, today, a ...

A comforting dish for an autumn eveningThe recipeIn a frying pan, cook 140g pancetta, cut into small cubes, until appetisingly golden. You may need a little oil. When the pancetta is ready, remove and set aside, then pour 3 tablespoons of oil into the...

Your favourite deli food baked in a light pastryThe ultimate quick fix made from a packet of puff pastry and a handful of good things from the deli. The tart filling can include almost anything you like from the counter, from marinated artichokes to...

Nothing adds zest and flavour to a dish like a paste made from fresh herbs - and now's the time to use the last of the basil, coriander and dillIt was one of those late-summer days of parched soil, piercing skies and ugly light that ...

Tender fettuccine tossed with bacon in a parmesan cream makes for a sumptuous midweek mealThe recipe Into a blender or food processor, put 25g of fresh dill and 125g of grated parmesan. Blitz to coarse crumbs, then tip into a saucepan. Pour in 250g of...

Silky soft puddings with a bit of bite, from peach and cherry ice-cream cake to coconut macaroons and mascarpone cream.The idea of something soft with something crisp is timeless, from cream-filled brandy snaps to tubs of cookies'n'cream ice-cream. It...

There is something irresistibly sociable about a shared plate of pork ribs simmered in a mixture of spices and fennel seeds and roasted with maple syrupI put a pile of pork ribs on the table the other day hot from the oven - sweet, sticky ...

Take your pick from brightly coloured berries and sharply flavoured apricots... Few things go together better than soft fruits and crisp crustsI enjoy the rhythm of cooking - the delicious ritual of getting something to eat on the table every day. But...

For an easy and exotic lunch, rub a tender joint with Middle Eastern spices and cook it over a tray of colourful vegetables. Then serve it on the patio in the sunshine.I like it when the roasting juices from the Sunday joint trickle down and ...

A light, colourful and flavourful main dish for high summerThe recipeTear half a ciabatta loaf into small pieces, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet then grill or bake them until crisp. If you prefer, you can cook them in a shallow pan...

There are fish recipes that seem particularly appropriate to high summer. Soused herring and mackerel, various salmon mayonnaises and ceviche, smoked salmon and cucumber salads and light soups with fresh beans and herbs. These are some of my favourites,...

A quick and sumptuous duck dishVacuum-packed duck breasts sold in supermarkets and butchers' are useful for a quick dinner.The recipe Season a couple of duck breasts with salt and black pepper. Warm a shallow pan over a moderate heat, then place the...

Here is a quick one-pan dish for a summer's eveningLamb and feta work together in so many ways. Crumble the cheese over grilled cutlets; make a feta cream to serve with lamb fillet; spread creamed feta on a lamb sandwich...The recipeDice 300g of lamb...

All too often it's a rush job made with fridge leftovers, but a carefully made sandwich can make a gloriously delicious meal - as long as you use something fresh and sharpAs a child of the 60s and, by nine, making my own sandwiches for ...

Noodles with prawn and egg is a mainstay of Thai cuisine - everyone seems to have their own recipe. Here is Nigel's... The recipeBring a pan of deep, salted water to the boil, then add 100g of flat rice noodles and turn off the heat. ...

Pork and apple is a winter classic. But now just swap the apple for the sweet-sharp tang of gooseberries and summer greens...The three little pigs I got to know last summer grew like topsy, and were ready for the oven by early July. I had ...

The recipeWipe a large aubergine, or two small ones, remove and discard the stalks then slice into rounds, roughly a centimetre thick. Heat the grill, place the aubergine slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Blitz 15g of basil leaves and stalks...

Apricots can be disappointing little fruits to eat raw, but apply some heat and sweetness and you'll be well rewardedIf an apricot disappoints, as it so often does, warm its cold heart with sugar, honey or spice. Ground cinnamon and a lightly flavoured...