How Thomasina Miers cooks for her friends

These dishes will satisfy (and maybe impress) the people you’re feeding and will fill your kitchen with great smells and a sense of adventure. Cooking and eating with friends and family have provided me with some of my favourite memories. Feeding people is the stuff of life, the magic that makes the world go round, the essence that binds people together and makes us human. Even in today’s crazy world it’s important to find time for this fundamental pleasure in life.

THOMASINA MIERS

PHOTOGRAPHS TARA FISHER

FOOD STYLING ROSIE RAMSDEN

STYLING WEI TANG

Grilled Indian lamb cutlets with carrot purée

THE NO-FUSS MENU FOR 4

Serrano ham and lincolnshire poacher cheese croquetas

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Ravioli with goat’s cheese and cavolo nero sauce

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Grilled Indian lamb cutlets with carrot purée

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Pomegranate meringues with pistachios

NUGGGETS OF WONDER Thomasina’s cheesy croquetas

MEET THOMASINA

She’s an entrepreneur, food writer and lover of great food. She won MasterChef in 2005, then went on to open the Wahaca Mexican street food restaurant chain in 2007. She has seven cookbooks to her name and has made numerous TV appearances

THE WELCOME NIBBLE

Serrano ham and lincolnshire poacher cheese croquetas

MAKES AROUND 20. HANDS-ON TIME 1 HOUR 10 MIN, PLUS 3 HOURS COOLING

MAKE AHEA

Freeze the finished, un-fried croquetas for up to 3 months. Freeze on a baking tray, then transfer to freezer bags. Fry from frozen, adding an extra minute

FOOD TEAM’S TIP

Serrano ham is salty, so taste the mixture before seasoning (step 1).

• 80g butter