Welcome to February

Are there a handful of familiar recipes you

February 2023

COVER STORY 9 GENIUS TWISTS Take everyday recipes

Why you can trust

BBC Good Food is the UK’s No 1

European tours

Explore some of the most striking locations in Europe while dining on delicious local specialities

Improve your wine knowledge

Everything you need to know about pairing wine with your favourite foods. This month, we focus on Indian dishes

Cruise the Mediterranean with TV chef James Martin

Sail around French and Italian ports, drop anchor at the St Tropez regatta, and watch a cooking demonstration by the much-loved chef

Look ahead to a delicious summer

15 - 18 June 2023 | NEC Birmingham

IMMEDIATE MEDIA Co

Managing director, food Alex White Group editor-in-chief Christine

Discover Lake Como, Milan & St Moritz, including the Bernina Express

Seven nights half-board from £799* between March and October 2023

INSTANT RECIPE FINDER

94 make it, snap it, post it We’ll

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Updated classic

Good Food reader Emma Sharp shares a much-loved recipe she created using her family’s favourite flavours

Elevate the everyday

Take a basic recipe and elevate it to something you would be proud to serve to guests using clever twists from the BBC Good Food team and top contributors

Beef stew

Once you’ve mastered this versatile stew, you can stash a few portions in the freezer for a delicious meal, anytime. Cassie Best

Warming beef stew with cheese scone dumplings

Fluffy dumplings make the stew extra-special, along with a touch of heat from the cayenne.

Meatballs

Easy to make and versatile, too – you can serve meatballs Italian-style in a tomato sauce with pasta, with a South-east Asian twist (see right), or find our Swedishinspired take on page 79.

Meatballs in an aromatic broth

This one-pan dish is a great way to warm up on cold evenings. We’ve taken inspiration from classic Vietnamese pho flavours. Samuel Goldsmith

Spiced vegetable traybake

Use up any leftover vegetables to make this healthy side dish. Chintal Patel

Tandoori paneer wraps & green chutney

We love to make these punchy wraps when we have guests. Everyone builds their own, so they can add as much or as little filling as they like.

Roast chicken

Brine the chicken in advance for more flavourful, tender meat. Any leftovers make excellent sandwiches. Ailsa Burt

Japanese-style chicken curry

This easy, comforting curry sauce is the perfect complement to tender, juicy brined chicken.

Crêpes

Our foolproof recipe will ensure a perfectly golden stack of crêpes.

Cherry Bakewell crêpe cake

Create an impressive cake without turning the oven on – use the crêpes layered with cherry compote and crème diplomat. Helena Busiakiewicz

What’s your best one-pot meal?

We asked chefs, cooks and food producers for their favourite takes on popular dishes

What you’re sharing

We love to see your kitchen creations. Here’s what you’ve been cooking from Good Food

“We don’t dwell on the past – we build on hope”

Discover how two strangers found friendship, comfort and hope over food after moving from Syria to the UK

Syrian fish & chips

Recipe photograph MIKE ENGLISH | Shoot director FREDDIE

Why do some restaurants make ordering so hard?

For many of us, eating out is now a rare weekend treat, but it has increasingly become an obstacle course to get your food to the table

BANETA YELDA’S MAQLOOBA

Scientist Baneta swapped the NHS for Manchester bakery Companio, which she co-owns. Here, she shares this popular dish from her Iraqi heritage

Wine beyond borders

Discover a new wave of wine producers who are putting culture before geography, including an all-female South African team

easy

29 simple recipes for busy days guest chef

for two

Easily halved or doubled, these vibrant budget dinners are ideal for enjoying solo, or with a friend or loved one

Grilledtrout with dill & mustard sauce

If you want to prep ahead, the sauce keeps chilled for two days.

Turkish egg flatbreads

Make sure you crack the eggs into hot oil to get a lovely crispy bottom.

Creamy tomato & mascarpone gnocchi

This comforting, veg-packed dish can be on the table in just 25 minutes.

Fennel, mint & clementine salad

This is a lovely fresh winter salad and it keeps well for packing into a lunchbox the next day.

Halloumi & beetroot fritters

These fritters are also excellent warmed the next day in a low oven.

love your leftovers

Use up any surplus ingredients after making our midweek meals on page 32

Yotam and Noor’s polenta pizza

‘It’s not a pizza,’ insisted Noor, when referring

Baked polenta with feta, béchamel & za’atar tomatoes

SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK

FLASH IN THE PAN

Quick to make with minimal washing-up, these one-pan dishes allow you more time to relax on weeknights

Wok-fried aubergine

Here, soft aubergine fingers soak up the garlic and salty soya bean sauce like delicious sponges.

King prawn pad Thai

A popular street-food dish originating from Thailand, the flat rice noodles are tossed in the classic Thai flavours of fish sauce, tamarind paste, lime juice and chilli sauce. Spicy, tangy and sweet, all in one mouthful.

Glazed sticky pepper chicken

Use just a few ingredients to make this melt-in-the-mouth chicken in a rich peppery sauce.

Spicy ground pork udon

A great midweek meal, this is quick and easy with no heavy prep required, as everything is added straight into the wok.

Get the party started

Inspire the next generation of bakers with these treats for sharing from Bake Off winner Peter Sawkins

Fluffy pancakes

This is a go-to pancake recipe for a breakfast treat on the weekend, or to serve for ‘breakfast for dinner’, as a way of switching up your evening meal.

Pear cake

At this time of year, it’s nice to cook and bake things that are warming and comforting, like this spiced cake.

Monkey bread

Monkey bread is all about being a little messy and uneven. It’s made with small balls of sweet dough rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar. They bake together to create a single loaf that you can pull apart and share.

Lemon iced buns

Iced buns are classic British bakery treats, with sweet, soft, pillowy dough filled with whipped cream. I’ve added lemon curd to the filling, which lends a little zing to the bake and prevents it from being overly rich or sweet, but you could use jam or your favourite toast topping instead.

Rocky road

You can’t go into a café without finding rocky road. That’s proof that everyone loves it! Considering how popular it is, it’s ridiculously simple to prepare and takes so little time.

news

Our health editor Tracey Raye shares a quick and wholesome breakfast, plus discover the nutritional benefits of garlic

Healthy pesto eggs on toast

A speedy, low-fat pesto is a delicious alternative to oil for frying eggs, and it adds great flavour to the dish, too.

The benefits of garlic

• A good source of vitamins C and

Six ways to make your pancakes free-from

Make gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan pancakes to celebrate

lovely loaf

Achieve three of your five-a-day with this veg-packed meatloaf in a sauce inspired by classic Italian ragu

super seeds

For added texture, taste and nutrients, just add a scattering to your meals

Late-winter wonders

Showcase Jerusalem artichokes, mussels and purple sprouting broccoli in recipes from Samuel Goldsmith, plus tips and advice for growing your own produce from Emma Crawforth of BBC Gardeners’ World

GROW YOUR OWN

Emma Crawforth is a qualified horticulturist, trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is the gardening editor for BBC Gardeners’ World. This month, she shares advice on growing Jerusalem artichokes.

Onions

The mighty onion is the backbone of many dishes, but here, our cookery experts and readers put it centre stage

Meals that cost just £1

Save money but don’t compromise on flavour with our ingenious recipes, ideas and hacks

Make the most of your gadgets

Sales of energy-efficient slow cookers, air fryers and pressure cookers are soaring – here are some clever ways to use yours

Take-to-work lunches using leftovers

Set aside a portion of your dinner, add an ingredient or two and enjoy a low-cost, nutritious packed lunch the next day

How to make £1 meals and more

Cookbook author Miguel Barclay explains how to make the most of canned and frozen foods

“I use savings apps to keep track of my spending”

In our ongoing series, we hear from you on how you’re adapting your shopping and cooking habits to get through the cost-of-living crisis

WEEKEND

Bring hearty dishes to the table, including Friday night fakeaways, impressive Sunday mains and desserts for entertaining, plus an Iraqi recipe from chef Baneta Yelda

SWEET & TANGY TAGINE

Following North African tradition, Tom uses dried fruit to bring subtle sweetness to his version of a chicken tagine

Moroccan-style chicken with sour cherries & olives

If you’re into batch-cooking, this is the ideal recipe to double up and freeze in a large batch or smaller portions. Once defrosted, it also reheats well in the microwave.

SABRINA GHAYOUR’S MENU TO MAKE memories

The BBC Saturday Kitchen regular shares the treasured dishes she loves to make for her family gatherings

Tomato & oregano orzo with koftas, yogurt & pul biber butter

SERVES 6 (approx 40 koftas) PREP 20 mins

Flatbreads

MAKES 8 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins

Apple & feta salad

SERVES 4 as a side PREP 10 mins

Chocolate & orange rice pudding

Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY | Food stylist &

MAKE YOUR OWN TAKEAWAY

Cooking a homemade version of a high-street favourite is often much healthier and quicker, so give these simple recipes a try

Loaded fries

Pile tomatoes, soured cream, jalapeños and pickled red onions onto frozen fries. Ideal for movie nights or casual entertaining, this will be a big hit with any crowd.

Chicken chow mein

This Taiwenese-style chow mein uses a combination of stir-frying and steaming, so there’s less oil involved. Pork would also work well instead of chicken.

ENTERTAIN WITH EASE

Impress family and friends with these low-effort, high-impact meals and make an occasion of time spent together

Mushroom, leek & miso spelt galette

Miso adds a savoury punch to this tart, which is great served with a bright green salad. If making ahead, gently reheat the tart in a low oven until piping hot before serving.

Cumin & paprika mutton chops with chickpeas

Using mutton instead of lamb means the meat has a deeper flavour. You should be able to buy it from your local butcher.

Hake with brown butter, chard & hazelnuts with orzo

Make Saturday night special Shoot director EMMA WINCHESTER

BOOST YOUR cooking skills

Get confident in the kitchen with tips and advice from the Good Food team

Go bananas!

Spend a little time this weekend making a luscious dessert with no cooking required. You can prepare the base a day ahead, then just top with whipped cream and grated chocolate to finish

Perfect brownies

Our columnist, baking expert Benjamina Ebuehi, answers your questions

Add umami

Four ingredients that will give your dishes more depth

Mexican dried chillies

Our cookery assistant Helena Busiakiewicz shares what she’s learned about Mexican dried chillies

Steak sandwich

Juicy red meat is offset by sweet and tangy onions, plus a gentle hit of horseradish for a winning sarnie

Books for cooks

Helena Busiakiewicz from our cookery team selects her favourite new books to inspire you this month

Mushrooms by Martin Nordin

Editor Keith Kendrick gets a masterclass in funghi, exploring 70 recipes

Energy efficient appliances

Using low-wattage appliances can help reduce your energy bills – we’ve compiled our top scorers across a range of categories

Think pink

Celebrate Valentine’s Day on 14 February with Miriam Nice’s blush-hued cocktail, plus our top bottles to try this month