chapter two

GRAZING

These recipes are relaxed enough to win anyone’s affection. They cover the whole gamut from simple antipasti to side dishes to snack food to drinks party numbers; indeed many straddle those groups with ease. (Too many hours spent assembling thousands of identical canapés have possibly tainted my views on spiffy party food; you won’t find that here.) The secret to successful “small food,” I think, is that the flavors should be bright and intense enough to be satisfying in modest portions.

And there lies the winning formula to any miniature dish: Ramp every mouthful up a notch, adding a touch more spice or seasoning than you otherwise might, while keeping an eye on the balance of textures and temperatures. It could be as uncomplicated as something on toast, but taking your time to burnish pine nuts thoroughly, before crushing them into an unusual “butter” and topping with sweet-sour onions, ripe avocado and extra pine nuts for crunch (see Rye Toasts with Pine Nut Butter and Avocado), makes an everyday idea great.

Step forward street food, the epitome of laid-back grazing food with lots of character. I won’t lie: Some of the street-ish recipes here are projects. Making yeasted dough for Taiwanese-inspired steamed buns, forming Malaysian popiah wrappers, or even filling pot sticker dumplings takes time, but all are fun to do and to eat. I have tried my best not to overcomplicate or add expense with rare pantry items, destined for the back of the pantry after one use, instead sticking to widely available ingredients in the majority of cases. Where more esoteric foodstuffs are called for, it’s because it is sometimes worth seeking out things you wouldn’t normally buy to inject energy into your cooking. Soft corn tortillas and store-bought dumpling wrappers, for instance, both used in this chapter, aren’t hard to find these days and are wise buys. Stock your freezer if you see them and defrost when needed. It is far easier now than it has ever been to track down such authentic and interesting items, with well-stocked supermarkets, specialty food shops and online suppliers.

Away from street food, the Mediterranean always delivers on relaxed starters and antipasti. As ever, they will shine if you are mindful of good ingredients. When tomatoes are plentiful, who could resist pairing them with mozzarella or burrata just as they are? But at the tail end of the season, when autumn is in full swing, large, “meaty” varieties are transformed by a couple of slow hours in the oven, bathed in oil and herbs (see Fondue Tomatoes with Mozzarella). With very little effort, you can produce a starter of exceptional flavor, and you only need good bread or a seasonal leaf to make it more substantial. Pile the fondue tomatoes, along with torn mozzarella, onto toasted bread to make a good-tempered platter for a party. Or show off with the easiest of homemade cheeses, requiring no special equipment, and be put off buying supermarket containers of ricotta forever. The flavor of a freshly made ricotta is exceptional, and pairs so well with the first new-season peas, or other sweet vegetables (see The First Peas with Fresh Ricotta).

One has to make certain assumptions when developing recipes, choosing a path between basic and expert that will, hopefully, be relevant to the majority of readers. With that in mind, I have supposed that the simplest of vegetable sides—such as steamed and dressed greens and roasted potatoes—do not need to be covered on these pages. Instead, I have written accompaniments with enough character to stand alone as humble kitchen suppers. Don’t be afraid to vary them to suit your taste.

The Coconut-Chile Greens, for example, can be based on any variety of leaves and shoots beyond chard; try kale, cooking (not baby) spinach, spring greens, even broccoli. Make the recipe as written as an accompaniment to vegetable fritters or baked sweet potatoes or, to focus on it as a light main, scent basmati rice with a couple of cracked green cardamom pods as it steams and then finish the stir-fried greens with a generous dash of coconut cream, turning them into a curry of sorts to eat with the fragrant rice.

Creating a side dish with personality can be as straightforward as cooking or presenting a vegetable in a less conventional way. When brassicas are roasted at high temperatures they turn sweet and tender within and toasted—caramelized—on the outside, as the more delicate leaves or buds catch and scorch. Sweetheart (pointed or hispi) cabbages, for example, don’t need much more than fierce heat and a tumble of oil to bring them to life, but you can vary the accent flavors, adding the buzz of Szechuan pepper and dried chile flakes, or smoky chipotle and lime juice, instead of the mustard and lemon I have suggested (see Charred Sweetheart Cabbage).

Likewise, cooking radishes on the stove burner until burnished and sweet is an unexpected way to treat them, but as well-suited to side dish status when paired with a frittata or a rich, baked cheese as it is to lunch with decent bread and a handful of watercress.

These joyful grazing recipes are intended to be gutsy and a break from the norm. Have fun making them and serve them in whatever guise you wish; you’ll find they are bold enough to hold their own.

Bhel Puri

Thought to have originated as a Mumbai street snack, this is such a riot of flavors and texture. With so many versions in circulation, I don’t feel I need to apologize for this recipe being heavier on the fresh additions than most. Change it up at will, but bear in mind that it hinges on the contrast of sweet, sour, crunch and heat. Whatever the incarnation, a chilled beer on the side would be most welcome.

Serves 4

• 8 medium new potatoes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup (100 g) plain yogurt

• 2 tablespoons mango chutney, plus more to serve

• Handful of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

• 2 teaspoons palm sugar

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

• 1 or 2 green chiles, finely chopped

• 1 small pomegranate, seeds only

• ½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped

• Large handful of cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 5 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

• 2 shallots, very finely chopped

• 1 cup (25 g) puffed brown rice

• 6 cooked pappadams (a type of Indian bread), 2 roughly crushed, the rest to serve

• 2 limes, halved

Put the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cool water. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 18 to 20 minutes, until tender to the point of a knife. Drain and set aside to cool slightly, then peel and finely chop.
Combine the yogurt and mango chutney in a small bowl. Finely chop 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, add that, then season with a little salt.
Separately, in another small bowl, mix the tamarind paste with the sugar to take the edge off and splash in a little water to loosen.
Put the potatoes and all the remaining ingredients—except the yogurt and tamarind mixtures, puffed rice, pappadams and limes—in a large bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper and mixing together gently. Now fold in the puffed rice and crushed pappadams and divide the bhel puri between 4 serving bowls, cups or plates.
Add spoonfuls of both the yogurt mixture and the tamarind mixture to each portion, stirring through gently if wished.
Eat while the puffed rice and pappadams are still crunchy, using the rest of the pappadams for scooping up the bhel puri. Offer lime halves and more mango chutney alongside, so everyone can sharpen or sweeten their plate as they like.

Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi

Banh mi: a sandwich to beat all sandwiches. The airy, crisp-shelled baguettes that are used in Vietnam are often made with rice flour, but a very fresh wheat-flour loaf will do nicely here. (Use a baguette that’s about 12 inches/30 cm long, to get the sandwiches the right size.) It’s worth hollowing out some of the soft middle to make more room for the fillings. Use vegan mayonnaise if you want to make this a vegan recipe.

Serves 4

• 14 ounces (400 g) smoked tofu, sliced

• 2 red chiles, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

• 2 tablespoons Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce or light soy sauce, plus more for the baguettes

• 1 tablespoon palm sugar

• Sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or other flavorless oil

• 2 small ficelles (thin French bread) or small, thin baguettes

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• ½ small cucumber, sliced on the diagonal

• Handful of sprigs of cilantro

• 1 batch Quick Vietnamese Pickles

Dry the sliced tofu well with paper towels. Mix it in a bowl with the chiles, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, “fish” sauce and sugar. Set aside for 30 minutes, if you have the time, seasoning lightly with salt and the white pepper.
Place a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, followed by the tofu mixture. Sear the slices for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until glazed and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
Preheat a broiler to low and warm the baguettes through, turning often, until crisp-edged and just-warm inside.
Split open the warmed baguettes, then cut each in half to make 4 split pieces. Pick out some of the inside of the bread, if you like, to make a bigger space for the filling. Brush the insides with a little more “fish” sauce and spread with mayonnaise and slices of cucumber. Now stuff in some tofu, a few sprigs of cilantro and a generous helping of drained pickles. Drizzle with any juices from the tofu pan and serve hot.

Coconut-Chile Greens

Sturdy greens, including their stalks in the case of the chard family, can stand up to some serious spice. Should you have access to them, a handful of fresh curry leaves, thrown in with the mustard seeds, will add fragrance here. Add steamed rice of your choice, a fried egg or tofu, roasted roots such as carrots or parsnips and a handful of toasted nuts or seeds, to turn this into a comforting rice bowl.

Serves 4

• Large bunch of rainbow chard

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons coconut butter

• 1½ teaspoons black mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 red chile, finely chopped

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• Fat pinch of ground turmeric

• 1 cup (90 g) coarsely grated fresh coconut

• Juice of ½ lime, or to taste

Rinse the chard and drain it well. Cut the stems from the leaves. Bring a saucepan of water to a rapid boil, add a little salt and blanch the stalks for a minute or so, depending on their thickness. Drain the stalks, refresh under cool water, then cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) lengths. Roughly shred the chard leaves, too, but keep them separate.
In a wok or deep frying pan—one that has a lid and is large enough to hold the chard—melt the coconut butter over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and heat through until they begin to sizzle. Add the garlic, chile, ginger and turmeric to the pan and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Increase the heat and throw in the coconut, chard stalks and lime juice, with a decent pinch of salt.
Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 3 minutes, or until the stalks are completely tender. Stir in the leaves and continue to cook until they, too, are tender. Check the seasoning and add more lime juice, salt or pepper, if you like.

Spring Lentils in Radicchio Cups

This salad doesn’t have to be served in radicchio leaves, but do shred the heads finely and stir them through the lentils if you aren’t using them as serving vessels: That contrast of crisp, bitter leaf with sweet shallot dressing, fiery radish and nutty lentil is what makes this simple recipe a winning one. A little horseradish gives extra poke, but be more generous with the mustard if you don’t have any on hand.

Serves 4 / Makes 20

• 1 cup (200 g) small green French lentils

• ¼ cup (60 ml) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 shallots, very finely chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ½ garlic clove, crushed

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon grated horseradish

• 1 teaspoon mild honey

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon leaves

• ¾ cup (100 g) chopped radishes

• Handful of young (slim) sprigs of watercress, any coarse stalks removed

• ⅔ cup (75 g) walnut pieces, toasted

• 2 heads red radicchio, leaves separated

Cover the lentils with plenty of water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape.
Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan. Place over low heat and add the shallots with a fat pinch of salt. Cook very gently for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to soften, but not to color. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, vinegar, mustard, horseradish and honey. Gradually whisk in the remaining oil to make a thick dressing. Stir in the chives and tarragon and check the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or vinegar, as needed.
Drain the cooked lentils well, transfer into a large bowl and combine with the radishes, watercress, walnuts and enough dressing to coat. Season to taste. (Any extra dressing will keep well in the fridge for a week or so; loosen it with a little boiling water when needed.)
Fill each radicchio leaf with a spoon of warm lentil salad and serve soon.

Squash and Sesame Fritters

The winter squash you choose here is the key to success. Best bet: the grey-blue Crown Prince for its dense, sweet and firm flesh. Butternut squash will do, but the batter may need a touch more flour. Hold your nerve though—too much will make a gluey fritter; better instead to leave the fritters well alone when frying and to use enough oil. A mild sesame and yogurt sauce balances the squash’s sweetness.

Makes about 16

For the fritters

• One 3-pound (900 g) piece of dense winter squash, plus 2 tablespoons seeds if needed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to cook

• ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable stock

• ½ cup (100 g) whole-grain couscous

• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour or spelt flour

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• Small handful of basil leaves, shredded

• Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve, optional

• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

• Peppery salad leaves, to serve

For the sesame-yogurt sauce

• ¼ cup (60 g) plain yogurt

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tablespoons light tahini

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). If the squash seeds are plump and shiny, scoop them out and set aside (if they are flat and wizened, use store-bought pumpkin seeds instead). Slice the flesh into slim wedges, skin and all, and toss with the 2 tablespoons oil in a roasting pan. Roast for 35 minutes, until soft and browned. Reduce the oven temperature to a warming setting.
Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in a small pan. Put the couscous in a bowl and pour the hot stock over to cover. Cover with a plate, set aside for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork and leave to cool.
To make the sesame-yogurt sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl with ⅓ cup (90 ml) of hot water, seasoning to taste.
If they were worth having, rinse the reserved squash seeds, removing any orange fibers clinging to them. Boil a kettle and pour enough water over the seeds to cover. Let steep for 15 minutes, then drain. Pare the now-soft skin from the squash with a small knife and put the flesh in a mixing bowl. Mash it lightly. Add the cooked couscous, flour, egg, basil, lemon zest and half the toasted sesame seeds. Mix together well.
Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to form a thin film across the surface. Add the drained (or store-bought) seeds and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until golden. Remove to a plate.
Make sure there is still a covering of oil in the pan and heap in spoonfuls of batter to make patties, being sure not to crowd the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp-edged, reducing the heat a little if they color too fast. Remove to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat to cook all the fritters; you should have about 16, depending on size.
Serve the hot fritters with the fried seeds, the remaining sesame seeds and a handful of peppery salad leaves, offering the sauce alongside and lemon wedges, if you like.

Pot Stickers with Black Vinegar and Chile

Dumpling-making, as with any fussy kitchen task, takes patience and probably shouldn’t be attempted during fraught moments. If you are reasonably dexterous, however, an army of plump beauties will be just reward for time spent pleating wrappers together.

You can also use a soy-based salad dressing, minus the peanut oil, as a dipping sauce here, if you prefer.

Makes 30

For the dipping sauce

• ¼ cup (60 ml) light soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons black vinegar

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon unrefined sugar

• 1 green chile, finely chopped

For the pot stickers

• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1½-inch (4 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 cups (150 g) finely chopped shiitake mushrooms

• 3 scallions, trimmed and finely sliced

• 2 carrots, finely grated

• 7 ounces (200 g) firm smoked tofu, drained and crumbled

• 10 cups (225 g) blanched, dried and chopped spinach (see Squash, Bulgur and Spinach Kibbeh)

• Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

• Sea salt

• 30 round dumpling wrappers

Start with the dipping sauce. Combine all the ingredients and set aside.
Put 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil, the garlic and ginger in a wok and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for a minute, until the mixture sizzles, then add the mushrooms, scallions and carrots. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture softens and any liquid evaporates. Remove from the heat and stir in the tofu, spinach and cilantro, followed by the soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Allow to cool.
Place 1 firmly packed heaping teaspoon of this filling in the middle of a wrapper and lightly brush the border with water. (I use a dampened finger rather than fussing with a pastry brush.) Fold into a half-moon shape, making about 5 pleats to seal. This is all a matter of practice. If you find pleating too fussy, simply press the edges together to make a simple half-moon. If you’re feeling brave, to make each pleat, fold the wrapper slightly between your thumb and forefinger, pushing your other thumb in to flatten and secure the pleat. I find the best way is to start in the middle with a single pleat, then work down each side in turn with 2 to 3 pleats. Press the edges firmly to seal, but take care not to crush the pastry or you’ll ruin the pleating effect. You should have a curved dumpling.
Line a tray with nonstick parchment paper. Add the dumpling, upright, so the seam is on top. Cover with a kitchen towel while you make the rest.
Pour 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil into a large, nonstick frying pan and set over medium heat. Add half the dumplings, base-down. Fry undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until golden underneath. Pour ¾ cup (200 ml) water into the pan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Cover with a lid or a large tray and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, until no liquid remains. Listen for a change in sound: When the liquid has gone, the pan will hiss. Serve immediately with half the dipping sauce. Repeat to cook the remaining dumplings.

Rye Toasts with Pine Nut Butter and Avocado

An indulgent snack for missed-breakfast days, or an energy-rich pick-me-up. Pine nuts are expensive enough to make any cook wince, so I don’t advocate making jars of “butter.” In small amounts, though, it makes a fabulous spread or pasta sauce. Watch them like a hawk when toasting (writes the queen of burning nuts), but take your time: You want an even, deep golden color for the best flavor.

Serves 2 to 3

• 2½ tablespoons mild-flavored oil, such as canola or olive

• 1 red onion, sliced

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves

• 2½ tablespoons sherry vinegar, or to taste

• ½ cup (75 g) pine nuts

• ½ garlic clove, crushed

• 1 ripe avocado, halved

• 3 or 4 slices of rye bread

Put 2 tablespoons of the oil and the onion in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and set over medium-low heat. Fry gently for 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown. Increase the heat and add the rosemary and a scant 2 tablespoons of the sherry vinegar, cooking and stirring until the vinegar has evaporated and the onions are slightly sticky. Set aside.
Put the pine nuts in a frying pan with a meager splash of oil (about the remaining ½ tablespoon) and cook over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often, until the nuts are truly golden all over. Take this too far and you’ll introduce bitter notes, but don’t let that break your nerve: Undertoasting will make for an insipid butter and, with so few ingredients, there is nowhere to hide. Go for broke. Remove 1 tablespoon of the nuts, draining as you do so, and set aside.
With a mortar and pestle, crush the remaining toasted nuts, with their oil and the garlic, until they release their oils and turn from mealy to buttery. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon sherry vinegar, or to taste—just to cut the richness—and season with salt and pepper. If you are making this in advance, it can now be covered and chilled for a few days.
Pit the avocado and scoop out the flesh. Chop it roughly with a spoon.
Toast the bread slices on both sides under a hot broiler or in a smoking-hot griddle pan. Spread pine nut butter over each slice, topping with the avocado and fried onions. Season well, cut each in half and scatter with the reserved, golden pine nuts to finish.

Tiny Baked Potatoes with Spiced Chickpeas

If you’re ever in need of a vegetarian canapé—or at least a plate of something for a party if canapé sounds passé—hot baked potatoes, topped with a scallion sour cream and wonderfully crisp, spiced chickpeas should fit the bill. Season these more than you would normally think wise, bearing in mind that they are only small mouthfuls and need to carry a bit of a kick.

Serves 6 to 8 at a party as nibbles

• 3¼ pounds (1.5 kg) new potatoes

• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• One 15-ounce (400 g) can chickpeas, rinsed and thoroughly drained

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1½ teaspoons nigella seeds

• ½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

• Finely grated zest and a squeeze of juice from 1 unwaxed lemon

• 1 teaspoon honey

• Bunch of scallions, trimmed

• ⅔ cup (150 g) sour cream

• 2 to 3 tablespoons mango chutney

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Prick each potato with the tip of a knife, toss with half the oil and spread out on a large baking sheet. Season well with salt and bake for 45 minutes, shaking the pan to redistribute halfway through the cooking time.
Meanwhile, transfer the chickpeas into a bowl lined with paper towels and pat dry to get as much moisture off them as possible. Whip out the paper towels and toss with the remaining oil, cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of the nigella seeds and the paprika. Season well and spread out in a roasting pan.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the chickpeas, until just beginning to brown. Stir through the lemon zest and honey and return to the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes, until well browned and crisp.
Finely chop half the scallions and stir into the sour cream with a little lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Finely slice the remaining scallions on the diagonal and set aside.
Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes before handling, so that they aren’t piping hot. Make a small cut in the top of each and squeeze the sides gently to open.
Add 1 heaping teaspoon of the scallion sour cream to each potato, with a little mango chutney. Spoon the chickpeas over top. Scatter with the sliced scallions and remaining nigella seeds, plus a little more black pepper.

Squash Bao

This version of the light steamed buns, commonly—and erroneously—known as just bao and often made with rice flour in the mix, can never be truly authentic due to the lack of meat, so I’ve thrown caution to the wind with an umami-rich stuffing of roasted squash, pickled cucumber and salty cashews. As with the Popiah with Shredded Vegetables, it’s refined flour all the way here.

Makes 8

For the bao

• 3¼ cups (450 g) bread flour, plus more if needed

• ¼ cup (50 g) unrefined superfine sugar

• 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast

For the filling

• 1½ pounds (700 g) winter squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into batons

• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger root

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder

• ½ teaspoon chile flakes

• ½ large cucumber

• 2 tablespoons mirin

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon unrefined superfine sugar

• Pinch of freshly ground white pepper

• 3 scallions, finely sliced

• Handful of sprigs of cilantro

• ¾ cup (100 g) salted roasted cashews, crushed

Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and 1 cup (225 ml) of water in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or use a large bowl and wooden spoon. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite stiff, but flours can differ and the weather might be particularly wet or dry, so add up to 1 tablespoon more flour or water, as needed. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave to proof for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size. Or chill the dough, letting it rise overnight, and return to room temperature before shaping.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the squash in a roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the soy sauce, ginger, honey, five-spice and half the chile flakes. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway, until glazed and soft.
Shred or slice the cucumber into a bowl. Put the remaining chile flakes in a small saucepan with the mirin, rice vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer briskly until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Pour over the cucumber, adding the white pepper and remaining sesame oil. Toss to coat and set aside for 10 minutes before eating, or chill for up to 5 days.
Cut out sixteen 4 × 6-inch (10 × 16 cm) squares of nonstick parchment or wax paper. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 even rounds. Roll each out on a large piece of nonstick paper to form ovals, about 5 inches (12 cm) long and 3½ inches (9 cm) wide. Stick a cutout square of paper on top and fold the ovals in half over them. Sit each on a second square of cutout paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, until risen.
Set a large steamer, preferably with 2 tiers, over medium heat and get the water boiling. Arrange the buns in the steamer baskets, spaced at least 1 inch (3 cm) apart, and steam—not too fiercely—for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed, shiny and cooked through. Split the buns open, removing the papers, and fill with roasted squash, drained cucumber, sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs and lots of crushed cashews for texture.

Aloo Methi

Fresh fenugreek has a slightly bitter, aromatic flavor, with soft green leaves resembling clover. If you can’t find it (try Indian and Middle Eastern grocers and the ethnic sections of larger supermarkets), add a scant teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with the other spices instead and stir in finely chopped spinach near the end of cooking; the flavor won’t be the same, but the color and chlorophyll hit will be comparable.

Serves 4

• 1¼ teaspoons coriander seeds

• 1¼ teaspoons cumin seeds

• 3 pounds (900 g) large, waxy potatoes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large (beefsteak) tomato, halved

• 3 tablespoons ghee or mild-flavored oil

• 1¼ teaspoons garam masala

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• Large pinch of hot chili powder

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• 2 plump garlic cloves, crushed

• Leaves from 2 bunches of fenugreek, chopped

• Squeeze of lemon juice, if needed

Start by toasting the spices: Put the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and place over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until their fragrance is heightened and they turn a shade darker. This should take 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer into a mortar and crush with the pestle.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces. Put into a saucepan, cover with water, add a generous pinch of salt, then place over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat a little and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender but holding their shape. Drain and set aside. (This can be done a couple of hours ahead or the day before; chill the potatoes until needed.)
Coarsely grate the halved tomato, cut side first, leaving only the empty skin behind (discard this). Sweep the grated flesh into a bowl.
Put half the ghee in a deep frying pan or wok and set over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides. Add the ground coriander and cumin along with the garam masala, turmeric and chili powder. Cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato and bring to a boil. Scoop out of the pan and into a bowl.
Return the empty pan to the heat, reducing the heat a notch. Add the onion with the remaining ghee and fry gently for 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and turning brown. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook through for a minute. Stir in the fenugreek leaves and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, until wilted.
Return the spiced potato mixture to the pan and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a dash of lemon juice to brighten the dish, if you feel that’s a good idea.

Corn Tortillas with Avocado and Charred Scallions

I’ve stayed away from true Mexican queso fresco, as I haven’t been able to find any made without animal rennet. Cue vegetarian-friendly Wensleydale or feta. If you can’t get fresh tomatillos, or they aren’t in season, use a can, drained and blended with a sautéed garlic clove and a deseeded green chile. Or make the salsa with vine tomatoes instead. Not the same, but also delicious in its way.

Makes 8

For the tomatillo salsa

• 6 small tomatillos, husked and halved

• 1 green chile, halved and deseeded

• 1 plump garlic clove, peeled

• 2 to 4 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime halves to serve

• Large handful of sprigs of cilantro

• ½ sweet white onion, finely chopped

• Sea salt

For the tortillas

• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and sliced

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• Bunch of scallions, trimmed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 8 small, soft, corn tortillas

• ⅔ cup (100 g) crumbled Wensleydale or feta

• Hot chile sauce, to serve

For the salsa, preheat the broiler to medium. Arrange the tomatillos, cut sides down, halved chile and garlic clove in a small roasting pan and broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside. Turn the tomatillos and chile over and return to the broiler for a further 5 minutes, until softened and charred in places. Blend in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and half the cilantro to make a lumpy purée. Add a splash of water, if needed (this is a sharp and watery salsa). Rinse the onion in a sieve held under cool, running water, drain well and stir into the salsa. Season with salt to taste and add the rest of the lime juice, if you like.
Halve, pit and slice the avocados, tossing them with the lime juice to keep them from browning.
Set a griddle pan over high heat until smoking hot. Toss the whole scallions with the olive oil. Cook in the griddle pan, running the scallions crossways. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn with tongs and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, until charred with lines all over and slightly softened. Remove and cut each scallion in half through its middle.
Keep the pan on the high heat and add a tortilla, cooking it for about 20 seconds on each side, until charred, but still soft. Repeat to heat all the tortillas; as you heat them, pile up and wrap loosely in a sheet of foil covered with a kitchen towel.
When all the tortillas are warm, top each with a pile of scallions, tomatillo salsa, sliced avocado, the remaining sprigs of cilantro and the crumbled Wensleydale. Shake hot sauce over the top and eat.

Charred Sweetheart Cabbage

Unsurprisingly, given they are in the same family, cabbage roasts as well as cauliflower or broccoli, taking on the same sweet notes, tempered with charred edges. As an easy accompaniment, it is hard to beat. Play with the flavors as you wish; I have had success swapping the mustard and lemon out for lime, chile and sesame, serving that version with soy sauce and egg-fried rice as a frugal supper.

Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 as a main course

• 2 sweetheart (hispi or pointed) cabbages

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Trim the cabbage bases, keeping them as intact as possible, and cut each head into delicate quarters from tip to base. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil and mustard in a small bowl and spoon or brush generously over the cabbage wedges on a large baking sheet. Turn the wedges to coat, then season with salt and pepper, making sure they are spaced out well. If they are too close together, they will steam; you want them to color.
Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the slices over with tongs and roast for a further 15 minutes, until charred in places, tender and well browned. Serve as a side dish or as a light main event with a steamed grain.

Fondue Tomatoes with Mozzarella

A beautifully simple, aromatic way with tomatoes. For the best flavor, choose the ripest you can find, ideally something with a low water content, such as oxheart or a large plum type. It’s very hard to find vegetarian buffalo mozzarella, so stick to cow’s milk, or a richer burrata made with vegetarian rennet. Serve on a base of good bread, toasted or not. Alternatively, keep the tomatoes chilled and use within a week, returning them to room temperature or even warming through when needed. They can be mashed with a fork to make a rich pasta sauce, in which case it’s a good idea to double the recipe to make a generous amount.

Serves 4

• 12 large, ripe tomatoes

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• A few sprigs of oregano

• A few sprigs of thyme

• 4 slices of sturdy bread, ideally a sourdough

• 2 mozzarella balls, drained

• Good balsamic vinegar, to taste

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Halve the tomatoes through their middles. Pour the olive oil into a large baking dish or roasting pan; it should be large enough to fit the tomatoes in a single layer with room to spare (if they fit too snugly they will steam). Bruise the garlic cloves by giving them a firm smash with the base of a glass and add to the oil with the herb sprigs.
Arrange the tomatoes in the oil, cut sides down, and roast for 2 hours. By this time, the tomatoes should be soft, sweet and concentrated in flavor. You can remove the skins if you wish—they will slide off easily—or leave them as is. Remove the skins from the garlic and mash the cloves into the oil, removing any hard herb stalks as you go.
Lightly toast the bread slices under a hot broiler.
Divide the warm tomatoes between the toasts with the mozzarella, torn into pieces, the herb-flavored oil from the dish and a little balsamic vinegar. It shouldn’t need much.

The First Peas with Fresh Ricotta

A recipe to celebrate early summer’s dairy and peas. Fresh cheese really is simple to make, but you can of course use a very fresh, store-bought ricotta instead. Unfortunately, the stuff in supermarket containers won’t cut it here. If your peas are homegrown or very fresh, don’t bother to cook them. For more mature peas, adding a few pea pods to the cooking water is a good trick to intensify their sweetness.

Serves 4 to 6

• 2 quarts (2 L) whole, fresh cow’s milk

• ⅔ cup (150 ml) heavy cream

• ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to serve

• 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to serve

• 4½ pounds (2 kg) fresh peas in the pod

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Extra virgin olive oil

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring the milk to steaming point: just below a boil at around 200°F (93°C), if you have a thermometer. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the saucepan to make sure the milk doesn’t scorch as it heats through. When ready, the surface of the milk will look steamy and slightly foamy.
Reduce the heat a notch, add 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and stir gently. The milk should begin to curdle. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and let stand for 10 minutes. The curds should have completely separated and the whey should look yellow and watery. If the magic hasn’t happened, try adding another 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Set a strainer or colander over a mixing bowl and line it with muslin, a nut milk bag, or other straining cloth. Carefully scoop or pour the curds into the strainer, letting the whey collect in the bowl beneath. Leave in a cool place for 1 hour.
The ricotta—you should have about 1⅔ cups (400 g)—is now ready to eat, or can be covered and chilled for 2 days.
Pod the peas, preferably with an extra pair of hands to help. Taste and decide if they are sweet and young enough to eat raw. If they are good as is, transfer to a bowl; if they need blanching, reserve a small handful of the pods and bring a large saucepan of water up to a rolling boil. Add the reserved pods and a fat pinch of salt and transfer in the peas. Boil for about 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to a bowl, removing the pods.
Either way, dress the raw or cooked peas with salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Eat with spoonfuls of fresh ricotta.

Squash, Bulgur and Spinach Kibbeh

These crisp-shelled baked kibbeh go well with Warm Tahini Dressing and Pickled Sour Cherries, warmed flatbreads and a large salad. I suggest making the kibbeh slightly heftier than is traditional; forming delicate, thin-shelled torpedoes is a job for experts and requires a fine—and hard to source—type of bulgur in the shell. Use a firm, dry squash; this won’t work with wet butternut squash.

Serves 4, with accompaniments

• 3¼ pounds (1.5 kg) kabocha squash (about 6 inches/15 cm in diameter)

• 4 fresh bay leaves

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 10 cups (300 g) large-leafed cooking spinach

• 1½ cups (200 g) bulgur wheat

• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour or spelt flour

• 1 scant teaspoon ground allspice

• ⅔ cup (100 g) pine nuts

• 1 batch Warm Tahini Dressing

• Pickled Sour Cherries, warm flatbreads and salad leaves, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
To make the kibbeh shell, start by slicing the squash into wedges around the stalk. Use a sturdy knife and a well-balanced chopping board to avoid accidents. Scoop out the seeds and fibers with a soup spoon. Weigh out about 1½ pounds (700 g) of squash and peel those wedges with a vegetable peeler. Cut the orange flesh into 1-inch (3 cm) cubes. You will need 1¼ pounds (600 g) prepared, raw weight, so cut off an extra bit to peel and cube if needed. Cut the remaining squash into 8 small wedges (there is no need to peel these, though you are welcome to do so if you wish). Put the cubed squash in a small roasting pan and the wedges and bay leaves in another. Divide the olive oil between the pans, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast both pans for about 35 minutes, until soft and caramelized. (If you are making the kibbeh mixture in advance, to bake and finish in a day or so, do not bake the pan of squash wedges now. Instead, cover with plastic wrap and chill until you are ready to bake the finished kibbeh.)
Meanwhile, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan set over medium heat. Shake and stir until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Crush to a rough powder with a mortar and pestle and set aside.
Remove the coarse stalks from the spinach leaves, then rinse the leaves to remove any grit and dirt. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the leaves and blanch for 30 seconds or so, until just wilted. Drain in a colander. Wring out in a kitchen towel and chop half the leaves finely and half roughly. Set the roughly chopped half aside.
Soak the bulgur in enough cool water to cover generously, setting it aside for 10 minutes. Drain well and, using your hands, squeeze out as much water as you can. Transfer to another kitchen towel and twist to extract even more moisture. Transfer into a large bowl and add the roasted squash cubes. Crush the bulgur and squash mixture with a potato masher, making sure no large lumps remain. Add the finely chopped portion of spinach, the flour, crushed coriander and cumin, half the ground allspice and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Knead until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, if you have time, to make the paste easier to work with.

To make the filling, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat, shaking often, until golden. Add to the reserved roughly chopped spinach with the remaining allspice and season well.

To form the kibbeh, divide the squash mixture into about 20 large walnut-sized pieces and roll each into a ball. Take a ball, stick a finger into the center to form a hollow, stuff 1 scant teaspoon of the spinach mixture in and mold the squash back around it to enclose, forming the kibbeh into a torpedo shape. Repeat to use all the squash balls and filling. At this stage, the shaped kibbeh may be spaced out on 2 baking sheets lined with nonstick parchment paper, covered and chilled for up to 48 hours. Leave out at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). If you did not roast them earlier, put the prepared tray of squash wedges into the oven and cook for 10 minutes, then slide the kibbeh trays in and set a timer for 20 minutes. When cooked, they should be golden brown and crisp, so turn each one over and give them an extra 5 minutes, if need be. The squash wedges should be soft and browned. (If your squash is already roasted, just return it to the oven for a few minutes to warm through.)

Serve the hot kibbeh with spoonfuls of warm tahini dressing and the hot roasted squash wedges (include the bay leaves for decoration, if you like). Pickled cherries, warm flatbreads and a green salad make perfect accompaniments and turn this into a feast.

Popiah with Shredded Vegetables

I fell for a more involved and authentic incarnation of these fresh spring rolls in Malaysia and have made them at home ever since. Gluten is the master of the ingenious wrappers; developing the gluten in wheat flour forms a stretchy dough that can be dabbed across a frying pan in a paper-thin layer. If gluten is not your friend, try making them with Vietnamese rice paper wrappers instead.

Serves 4

For the dough

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 4¼ cups (500 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

For the filling

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 large carrots, shredded or coarsely grated

• 7 ounces (200 g) pole or runner beans, sliced finely on the diagonal

• 6 ounces (160 g) store-bought marinated tofu cubes (ideally those in tamari)

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons (105 g) hoisin sauce

• 3 to 4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, or Sambal Oelek

• 20 soft lettuce leaves

• ¾ cup (100 g) cashews, toasted (see Rice Noodle Salad with Coconut Green Goddess Dressing) and crushed

• 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts

Start the dough the day before: Dissolve the salt in 2 cups (450 ml) of cool water. Put the flour in a bowl and add the salted water as you mix with a wooden spoon into a very wet dough (use your hand if it feels easier). Now for the strange bit: Pour cold water into the bowl to cover the dough. Transfer to the fridge and chill overnight, or for at least 6 hours. Tip the bowl to drain the water off. It is best to knead this using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, as it takes about 15 minutes for the dough to collect around the hook and be smooth and very elastic. You can achieve this by hand, by stretching the dough up and slapping it back down, but it is hard work.
For the filling, put the oil and garlic in a cold frying pan or wok and set over medium heat. Sizzle gently for 1 minute. Before the garlic colors, add the carrots and beans. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, until softer. Stir in the tofu and soy sauce and cook over high heat for a further 2 minutes. Set aside.
Place a frying pan over medium heat. Pick some or all of the dough up and, being careful not to let your hand touch the pan, wipe the dough briefly over the pan to coat. Let the dough fall back into the bowl and cook your thin crepe until the edges start to lift. Use a spatula to lift an edge up enough to peel the still-soft crepe out of the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and repeat to cook the remaining crepes, layering them between squares of parchment paper. This makes more than needed, but use the extra to practice with (or freeze excess crepes for another time).
Spread 1 scant teaspoon of hoisin sauce over the center of the uncooked side of a wrapper. Top with a little Sriracha to taste, and a lettuce leaf. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling over the leaf in the part of the crepe nearest to you, leaving any excess liquid in the pan. Top with crushed cashews and a few bean sprouts. Fold in the left and right sides to cover the ends of the filling, then roll away from you to make a roll. Repeat to fill all the wrappers and eat as soon as possible.

Baked Polenta and Sweet Potato with Halloumi Salsa

Simmering polenta is a minefield for bare-armed cooks; roasting it in the oven yields tender, creamy results with little hands-on time and no third-degree burns. Serve as an accompaniment to roasted vegetables, or as a main course with peppery salad leaves. Make only the polenta component if you are after a comforting, soft and simple accompaniment.

Here, a polenta-sweet potato mash bakes until brown on top and fluffy within. Just before serving, a feisty salsa is spooned over to wake everything up.

Serves 4 as a main course, or 6 as a side dish

For the polenta

• 2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil, plus more for the dish

• 3⅓ cups (800 ml) milk

• 1⅔ cups (300 g) coarse cornmeal or polenta

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and finely chopped

• 9 ounces (250 g) halloumi, coarsely grated

For the salsa

• 1 large lemon

• 1⅓ cups (200 g) chopped cherry tomatoes

• Handful of green olives, halved and pitted

• Handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves

• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a large, ovenproof dish with butter. Mix the milk, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of the butter in the dish with 3¾ cups (900 ml) of water. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes (don’t worry if it looks terrible as it cooks; it will come together).
Meanwhile, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a roasting pan, season, spread out and slide into the oven below the polenta. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender and colored at the edges.
Stir the cooked polenta and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in 1½ cups (150 g) of the halloumi and let the polenta rest for a minute. Add the roasted sweet potatoes. Mash as much as you would like the sweet potatoes to be broken down (keep it rustic by barely crushing them, or mash thoroughly). Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Keep in the dish, or divide between 4 small ovenproof dishes to make individual servings. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and return to the oven for 15 minutes, until piping hot and beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, make the salsa. Pare the skin and pith from the lemon, cutting the flesh out in segments and leaving the membranes behind. Chop roughly and toss with the tomatoes, remaining grated halloumi, the olives, parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Spoon over the baked polenta and serve.

Butter-Glazed Radishes with Capers and Walnuts

If you tire of crisp, raw radishes by the end of the summer, try roasting them or, as in the recipe below, caramelizing them in a frying pan. Lightly cooked as a vegetable, glazed with buttery vinegar, tempered with the saline hit of fried capers and bolstered by a handful of toasted walnuts for autumn, whole radishes take on a sweet, mild flavor.

Serves 4 as a light lunch, starter or side dish

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and dried

• 20 to 25 radishes, halved or quartered if large

• 2 shallots, very finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• ⅓ cup (50 g) walnut halves, toasted and roughly crushed

• Leaves from 2 sprigs of oregano

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Walnut bread, to serve, optional

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan set over medium heat. Add the capers and fry until they start to sizzle. Add the radishes and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until they are translucent and browned at the edges. Stir in the garlic, walnuts and oregano and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Now increase the heat and pour in the vinegar. Bubble this down, tossing the mixture together, until the radishes are shiny and glazed. Season generously and serve with the walnut bread as a light lunch or starter, or on its own as a side dish. It works very well next to cheese on toast, a whole baked cheese, or even an herby omelet or frittata.