Food to make you go “MMMMM…”

Welcome to FEBRUARY

The Sunshine Issue – that’s what we’ve dubbed this

FROM OUR INBOX…

I have to agree with Kathy Slack [Dec 2017, p170] that

FOR STARTERS

NEWS, NIBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE AND GOOD THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

A SLICE OF MY LIFE SALIHA MAHMOOD-AHMED

The hard-working doctor and inventive winner of MasterChef 2017 talks about inspiration, cooking creatively and eating joyously

WISH LIST

These pages are about us doing the hard work so you

HAVE YOU VISITED OUR delicious. ONLINE SHOP?

The delicious. shop was created so we can take the

TEST REPORT

WHERE Cookery School at Little Portland Street, London

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT…

Our jetsetting columnist Kay Plunkett-Hogge suffers from altitude sickness at the thought of those unappetising airline meals

THE KITCHEN PHILOSOPHER Is this the beginning of the end of Fairtrade?

Over three decades, the Fairtrade initiative has made food justice a mainstream, rather than a fringe, issue. Should we worry, therefore, when food industry giants opt out of the scheme in favour of their own assessment rules? Julian Baggini weighs up the arguments

ALWAYS A WINNER Yorkshire pudding

Enjoy three takes on a much-loved classic: trad style, served with sausages and onion gravy; baked into a colourful veggie toad in the hole; and a sweet version, served with a berry compote and ice cream (something you need to try…)

Has Instagram shaped & changed the way we eat?

Seven years ago, the idea of showing the world pictures of what you’re eating would have seemed a bit weird – mad, even. But all that changed with the advent of the photo-sharing site Instagram, shaping the way we view and engage with the world – even the way we enjoy the food we eat. Food writer John Gregory-Smith muses on whether that change has been for the better – or worse

CHEERS!

Susy Atkins picks her best buys and finds a new romantic fizz

”Pasta is my favourite winter comfort food” BY THEO RANDALL

Pasta is the food I most love to cook and eat. There are so many varieties and each one represents a different part of Italy. There’s a pasta shape for every sauce and a sauce for every pasta shape – it’s a food for all seasons. Wintry ingredients such as chard, squash, walnuts, cavolo nero and chestnuts work beautifully with pasta, especially when complemented by parmesan, winter herbs and some hearty Italian sausage or mildly gamey pigeon. Buon appetito!

FRIDAY NIGHT MEAL FOR TWO

Make the start of the weekend worth the wait with our maximum-pleasure, minimum-fuss take on steak and chips. It’s the perfect choice for a Valentine’s night in – or any night when you want to cook and serve a meal to remember

IF YOU MAKE ONE PUDDING THIS MONTH… The Valentıne’s Day cheesecake

This beauty, from the crunchy, gingery base to the creamy, orangey topping, is a treat. With its delicate heart decoration, it would make a great ending to a romantic dinner – if you can resist slicing it for afternoon tea

The recipe hall of fame KEDGEREE

This month our British cooking expert Debbie Major turns her hand to an Anglo-Indian classic, testing and perfecting the recipe until she finds the definitive version. Then, over the page, she transforms kedgeree into a showstopping pie

The ultimate pub cheese toastie

This brilliant snack, known as ‘The Unruly cheese melt’

How we made our restaurant dream A REALITY

Turning your passion for food into a proper business is no easy feat. Yet supperclub couple Terry Blake and Yohini Nandakumar did just that with Sparrow, their fledgling restaurant in south London

BRING ON THE sunshine

This month my inspiration comes from warmer climes

10 reasons why it’s better to eat no meat than cheap meat

Our food choices have an impact that reaches far beyond our plates. Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming, tells us why we should think harder about the meat we eat

RHUBARB

Forced rhubarb is a highlight of the February larder.

Take it slow

Whether you like your soup served up in a flash, or simmering gently while you relax, pack in layers of flavour with OXO Ready To Use Stock

Gill Meller A COOK’S YEAR

He’s made an art of celebrating the fruits of land and sea and, as group head chef at River Cottage, he’s expertly placed to know when seasonal food is at its best. This month Gill turns his attention to wild venison, with recipes and ideas to make this under-appreciated meat shine

WHY FEBRUARY IS FOR FOOD LOVERS

Thane Prince continues her delicious. residency by showing how a little culinary intelligence – a crisp filo case, crunchy garlic breadcrumbs or a splash of pudding wine – can transform simple dishes into sophisticated and heartwarming fare

TASTES LIKE HOME “Roast chicken isn’t the same without Dad’s bread stuffing”

Chef, food writer and cookery teacher Alan Rosenthal is known for his one-pot dishes but it’s a stuffed chook that’s closest to his heart, redolent of Friday nights round the family dinner table

SUBSCRIPTION

If you love delicious. and have been pondering whether

MIDWEEK MEALS LIGHTER COMFORT FOOD

It’s that time of year when you need food in hug form at the end of the day – but you don’t want to be eating unnecessary calories on a weeknight. The answer: classics with a makeover of the healthy kind

THE BUDGET RECIPE

It might not be traditional paella, but it’s flavoursome, ready in 15 minutes – and great value

THE 5:2 RECIPE

Mussels, hearty beans and herbs make for a warming bowlful

THE BATCH-COOK RECIPE

Make a big pot of this winter classic. Enjoy half now, freeze the rest, then transform it with a few punchy flavours

QUICK-FIX MEAL FOR ONE

Spice up a chicken breast to brilliant effect. No need to share!

HEALTHY MAKEOVER 5 sweet quick-fix treats

Simple ideas to satisfy sweet cravings – all designed to whip up in minutes

TAKE A PACK OF…SMOKED MACKEREL

Find out how one flavour-packed ingredient can transform midweek meals

THE SANE VIEWIs it unhealthy to cut out carbs?

Do you love tucking into a bowl of pasta – or does the very idea make you uneasy? If it’s the latter, it’s hardly surprising. The anti-carb crusaders tells us carbs make us fat and increase the risk of heart disease. But is this true? Or is cutting back on carbs bad for us? Sue Quinn investigates

VIS FOR VEGAN COMFORT FOOD FOR COLD CLIMES

Well-travelled street food queen Jackie Kearney is never happier than when she’s cooking hearty food for family and friends. The twist? It just happens to be vegan

LOOSE ENDS

Don’t let this month’s special ingredients linger in your kitchen. Instead make the most of them with these smart and easy ideas

BE A BET TER COOK

8 PAGES OF TIPS AND KNOW-HOW TO GET YOU COOKING SMARTER, FASTER AND WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE

THIS MONTH IN THE delicious. KITCHEN…

While the delicious. team are testing recipes, they’re

CHEF’S STEP BY STEP CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED BEEF DIM SUM

CHEF’S STEP BY STEP CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED BEEF DIM

HONG KONG The place to celebrate New Year number two

It’s one of the most exciting places on earth. When European capitals are shivering in the cold, Hong Kong is at its vibrant best, celebrating Chinese New Year, starting on 16 February, with parades, fireworks – and barnstorming food. Former resident Eleanor Ford celebrates the territory’s tastiest highlights

GREAT ESCAPES The Killingworth Castle: for warmth and good cheer

GREAT ESCAPES The Killingworth Castle: for warmth and

Pronounced irritation

Does it really matter how we pronounce the names of foods from other languages? Food writer and cake-maker Victoria Glass says the smug correctors are not merely annoying, they (far more importantly) scare people away from culinary exploration