Delicious UK Feburary 2020

PORTRAIT: TREVOR LEIGHTON. PHOTOGRAPH: MIKE ENGLISH How do you view the second month of the year? Do you see it as an endurance test, one step closer to spring, a moment to celebrate the fact that January is over? You may (or not, depending on your point of view) be surprised to know there are a few valiant, glass-half-full souls who consider February the best month of the year – a month for celebrating all that’s good about inside warmth, slouchy socks, marmalade-making, cake-baking, film-watching and a general appreciation of all home can offer. Need convincing? Turn to p32 for Kate Young’s perspective. Even if you don’t agree, her viewpoint challenges perceptions about what so many people see as a bleak month. My view is that February needs an antidote…

How do you view the second month of the year? Do you see it as an endurance test, one step closer to spring, a moment to celebrate the fact that January is over? You may (or not, depending on your point of view) be surprised to know there are a few valiant, glass-half-full souls who consider February the best month of the year – a month for celebrating all that’s good about inside warmth, slouchy socks, marmalade-making, cake-baking, film-watching and a general appreciation of all home can offer. Need convincing? Turn to p32 for Kate Young’s perspective. Even if you don’t agree, her viewpoint challenges perceptions about what so many people see as a bleak month. My view is that February needs an antidote of warming recipes: food to make you…

VEGGIE RECIPE Halloumi fries SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN Cut 250g halloumi into fingers, drizzle with a little sunflower oil, then toss in a bowl with 4 tbsp polenta combined with 1 tsp za’atar spice mix until well coated. Heat 2cm sunflower oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan. When hot, shallow fry the halloumi pieces until the polenta turns crisp and the cheese becomes soft and oozy, turning when one side is golden. Serve with a drizzle of greek yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh coriander, with sweet chilli sauce on the side for dipping. PER SERVING 327kcals, 23.8g fat (11.4g saturated), 16.2g protein, 11.7g carbs (1g sugars), 1.9g salt, 0.8g fibre…

VEGGIE RECIPE Halloumi fries SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN Cut 250g halloumi into fingers, drizzle with a little sunflower oil, then toss in a bowl with 4 tbsp polenta combined with 1 tsp za’atar spice mix until well coated. Heat 2cm sunflower oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan. When hot, shallow fry the halloumi pieces until the polenta turns crisp and the cheese becomes soft and oozy, turning when one side is golden. Serve with a drizzle of greek yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh coriander, with sweet chilli sauce on the side for dipping. PER SERVING 327kcals, 23.8g fat (11.4g saturated), 16.2g protein, 11.7g carbs (1g sugars), 1.9g salt, 0.8g fibre…

Dining room matters Debora Robertson’s piece on the decline of the dining room [Jan, p20] sparked conversation STAR EMAIL FROM: MARK RIGBY Debora’s article was timely: my wife and I are having this very debate. Do we extend the kitchen into a kitchen/diner or keep our dining room? We did a ‘pros and cons’ list. Pros: no cooking smells while eating, a special-occasion ambience, you can close the door after a dinner and worry about the mess later. Cons: chef (me) isolated from guests while cooking, the dining room could become an office and so on. The clincher, though, is that we prefer informal relaxed suppers, with friends feeling part of the cooking experience – not sitting waiting in another room to be served. In 2020 we’ve decided to relax more. Life is too short…

Dining room matters Debora Robertson’s piece on the decline of the dining room [Jan, p20] sparked conversation STAR EMAIL FROM: MARK RIGBY Debora’s article was timely: my wife and I are having this very debate. Do we extend the kitchen into a kitchen/diner or keep our dining room? We did a ‘pros and cons’ list. Pros: no cooking smells while eating, a special-occasion ambience, you can close the door after a dinner and worry about the mess later. Cons: chef (me) isolated from guests while cooking, the dining room could become an office and so on. The clincher, though, is that we prefer informal relaxed suppers, with friends feeling part of the cooking experience – not sitting waiting in another room to be served. In 2020 we’ve decided to relax…