Lous kitchen corner

Try 4 fantastic sauces to elevate your pork dishes We all know what sauce to have with pork, right? But wait, there’s more! Apple sauce is a classic but it’s nice to mix things up from time to time. And some sauces lend themselves a little more to different cuts of pork. So, with a little information highway research I’ve compiled a list of 4 lush sauces to try with your next pork dish. But let’s start with the classic… What sauce to have with pork? 1. Apple sauce The king of pork sauces…

Spice up your life with this epic spatchcock masala chicken dish PREP TIME: 20 minsCOOKING TIME: 45 mins + 45 mins briningDIFFICULTY: not too trickyIDEAL FOR: crowd-pleaser, familyBUDGET: £ Wine pairing: I popped down last week to chat to Jonathan at Michael Sutton’s Cellar for a wine match to go with this dish. And in good form and totally right, Jonathan simply replied ‘I think you need a nice cold beer with that dish’. So, true. And with that, I bought some cold Devon Rock lager. My

From a good old chicken curry to an epic curry pie Check out these 5 curry dishes (with some twists) to spice up your recipe repertoire. Everyone loves a curry so why not mix up a few ideas and try a different way to serve them up. Plus find some great tips on making the perfect curry. And if you’re like me, you’re herb and spice cupboard doesn’t always have the spice the recipe needs. But you can always substitute in other ingredients rather than rush off to the shops. So, I&#

A sausage is a sausage is a sausage, right? Not in Italy. And not when you want to do a lush Italian sausage ragu with penne. PREP TIME: 10 minsCOOKING TIME: 30 mins – 1.5hrs (you decide)DIFFICULTY: easyIDEAL FOR: midweek meal, crowd-please, familyBUDGET: £ Wine pairing: Micahel Sutton Cellar suggests with ragu you try a Chianti Classico dry with the sour cherry flavours of the Sangiovese grape or an aromatic Montepulciano D’Abruzzo&#1

You’ll notice as you read on, this is a re-post… last year I posted this in Lockdown 1 (*when it was called ‘Lockdown 1’. So, for most of us, we’re in the week 5 (?) of lock down. The whole world is in the ‘Twilight Zone’ as we try and get through this pandemic. But food has become even more important to us all for nutrients but also as a coping mechanism. We’re all finding the kitchen again and (hopefully) re-connecting with home cooking and locally produced food.

Big garlic, big chillies, big bay leaves… it’s all or nothing. It’s in the name; Chicken bastardo: I dear you. PREP TIME: 10 minsCOOKING TIME: 45 minsDIFFICULTY: not too trickyIDEAL FOR: midweek meal, crowd-please, familyBUDGET: £ Chicken bastardo – go big or go home I recently came across this recipe in Jamie Oliver’s Italy cookbook. And it sounded right up my alley with a bit of casual Italian swearing in the name of the dish. Who doesn’t enjoy shouting at your family that th

What to substitute when you’re missing it from the cupboard It’s pretty handy to know your spice and herb subs. As there’s nothing more annoying than being part-way through a recipe… And realising you haven’t got a herb or spice that’s needed for the dish. And thank goodness for Google! A quick search and you can find a few good ideas to substitute in. That’s why I decided to put a list together in one place where you can find some of the most common herbs, spices and seasonings that I usu

Celebrate Great British Beef Week with some killer beef recipes Try 5 awesome beef recipes to kick off Great British Beef Week (GBBW), 23-30 April. Great British Beef Week is in it’s 11th year and organised by Ladies in Beef. This year GBBW is focusing on highlighting the work British beef farmers do to support sustainable production practices on their farms. British beef continues to be amongst the most sustainable in the world. So it’s worth seeking o

A great dish for hungry mouths Cannelloni with sausage ragu and ricotta is an Italian classic and worth a go. PREP TIME: 20 minsCOOKING TIME: 40 mins – 1hrDIFFICULTY: not too trickyIDEAL FOR: midweek meal, crowd-please, familyBUDGET: £ WINE PAIRING TIP: Suzie (Michael Sutton’s Cellar) has lined me up with another two great bottles of red. Wente Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderfully full-bodied warming cabernet with rich blackberry & fig flavours and perfect for r

Your midweek meal saviour or easy weekend dish Italian simplicity is at the core of this chicken piccata recipe. PREP TIME: 10 minsCOOKING TIME: 20 minsDIFFICULTY: easyIDEAL FOR: midweek meal, crowd-please, familyBUDGET: £ WINE PAIRING TIP: Suzie (Michael Sutton’s Cellar) has given me two lovely, pretty inexpensive white wines to go with this simple, tasty dish. First up, an easy going Sauvignon blend from the South-West of France called Tariquet Classic (£8.00). Or if y

Slow cooking has become one of my favourite ways to cook but you need to know what the best cuts of beef for slow cooking. Not only does it produce rich, tasty, melt-in-your-mouth dishes. But it often means, very little prep and hands-off cooking. So, you can pop it on, leave it to do its magic while you enjoy some free time. You can cook everything from stews and casseroles, giving them amazing depth of flavour. To chilli’s, Bolognese and even soups. Slow-cooking is the way forward, in my…

Learn some simple tricks to always get a tasty curry It is tempting to just buy the pastes and sauces from the supermarket, especially when you’re busy with work, family… life. But, making your own homemade curry from scratch is pretty easy to. You just need to know a few simple tricks, and you’ll have an incredible, tasty curry on the table in no time. The order of a curry Make a paste Dry fry whole spices (fried until fragrant) and take off heat once done. To make the paste a

Flavours of warm al fresco dining Summer is on its way and what better way to feel summery than barbecued Greek-style butterflied lamb. PREP TIME: 5 mins + overnight marinadingCOOKING TIME: 25 mins DIFFICULTY: easy (*this recipe can be done in an oven to)IDEAL FOR: one-pot meal, family, crowd-pleaser, barbecueBUDGET: ££ WINE PAIRING TIP: Suzie (Michael Sutton’s Cellar) has suggested some blinders for this lovely lamb dish. The Rhône Le Sabounet Roger Sabon, has juicy fruit and a ripe f

Discover some great one-pan dishes to free up your time Enjoy my top 6 crowd-pleasing one-pan dishes to delight your family and friends with. Plus, check out all my tried n’ tested side dishes, if you are stuck on ideas. 6 crowd-pleasing one-pan dishes… Sicilian chicken skewers Melt-in-your-mouth salsa verde stuffed chicken thighs, wrapped in crispy pancetta. French onion, pigs-in-blankets casserole A perfect no-fuss dish that looks and tastes great! Baked chicken enchiladas with Mex

The simplest stew you’ve ever made – beef, black pepper & red wine The clue is in the name for how to make a Tuscan peposo stew. Peposo, means peppery in Italian. So, there’s lots of it! And, of course a classic stew needs wine… quite a lot too. Wine and stews It’s no secret I’m a big fan of slow cooking. And I’m even a bigger fan of slow cooking with wine. This marriage made in heaven requires you to cook slowly. Think of one of France’s National dishes, Beef Bourguignon. Or Southern

An earthy, nutty chicken dish to die for This chicken with porcini & chestnut mushrooms dish is great for a midweek meal or a tasty weekend supper. PREP TIME: 10 minsCOOKING TIME: 45 mins – 1 hr DIFFICULTY: easyIDEAL FOR: one-pot meal, family, crowd-pleaserBUDGET: £ WINE PAIRING TIP: Suzie (Michael Sutton’s Cellar) suggested two lovely reds to go with this dish. The Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Cantina Danese is a smooth rich Italian and has hints of plum and sour c