All the recipe ingredients are given in metric, imperial and American cup measures. Where the names are different, American terms are given in brackets.
All spoon measurements are level. You should use accurate measuring spoons for best results, using a 5 ml spoon for 1 teaspoon and a 15 ml spoon for 1 tablespoon.
Unless otherwise stated, the ingredients included in the recipes – such as vegetables or fruit – are medium size. All fresh ingredients should be washed and peeled where necessary.
Medium-sized eggs are used in all cases, except where stated otherwise. Eggs should always be eaten by the sell-by date and should never be used if the shells are already cracked. Pregnant women, the very young, the elderly and anyone with a specific medical condition should refer to approved guidelines before eating eggs and should particularly avoid raw or partially cooked eggs.
Fresh herbs are preferable to dried varieties. Dried herbs can be substituted where fresh herbs are unavailable, but half the quantity indicated is sufficient. Fresh herbs can easily be grown at home and they do impart a unique flavour to some of the recipes.
Can weights are approximate as they vary between brands.
Canned beans and pulses can be used instead of dried. If you substitute canned for dried, the weight of the prepared ingredients will be about twice the weight of the dried ingredients. For example, if the recipe calls for 225 g/8 oz/11/3 cups dried pulses, substitute with a 425 g/15 oz/large can. Note that dried kidney beans contain harmful toxins and should always be fast-boiled for around 20 minutes to destroy the toxins.
Some of the recipes contain whole or chopped nuts or nut oil and are therefore not suitable for young children or those with any form of nut-related allergy.
Oven settings vary considerably between different types of cooker, so you should check and adjust the cooking temperatures to suit your own oven. Gas ovens, for example, are hotter towards the top of the oven, while if you are using a fan-assisted oven, you may need to reduce the oven temperature.
Cooking times indicated in the recipes are approximate and are usually rounded up to the nearest five minutes. Fan ovens tend to cook faster than others so always refer to your handbook and adjust times to suit your own equipment.