Not only is ricotta an ingenious way of using up something that would otherwise go to waste, it's also incredibly delicate and delicious.One man's trash is another man's treasure; and the by-product from one food can be perfect for making another. Ricotta...

Soups and Middle Eastern specials by top chefs, chosen by Observer Food Monthly. Silvena Rowe's chilled sweet pea and watercress soup with rose petal creamSERVES 4For the soupfresh watercress leaves 150gsmall onion 1, gratedwater 950mlfresh peas 900gfresh...

Pickled walnuts, roasted lemons, griddled squash: who said salad has to be a side dish? Smoked mackerel and pickled walnut saladThis substantial salad makes great use of pickled walnuts, an undervalued British ingredient that I find very handy for all...

Kashk, kishk, jameed, tarhana... whatever you call it, it's a great way to thicken soups, add flavour to stews and undercut too-rich roast vegetables.One of my current favourite ingredients is really more a group of products that goes under all manner...

The secret to enjoying seaweed is just getting the dressing right and taking the plungeSome foods don't fare at all well in blind tastings. Anyone unfamiliar with the delights of Stinking Bishop cheese, Korean kimchi (fermented, pickled vegetables) or...

Elsewhere in the world, stone fruit of all kinds are revered, but only the plum gets that kind of treatment in the UK.You'd never catch me having fruit at the end of a great meal. Fruit in a cake or trifle, maybe. Sweet pears to ...

Buttermilk can bring something really interesting, both in texture and in taste, to all kinds of dishes.Like parents, cooks shouldn't have favourites, but some recipes inevitably shine more than others. One that stands out for me is a buttermilk-crusted...