A Taste of Things to Come

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

Stir the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and black pepper together. Taste: sweet at first, with mustard and vinegar cutting through.

Heat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. Split each croissant and open it out, cut-side up. Divide the Cheddar over the cut surfaces; warm for 4–6 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the cheese starts to melt.

Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer and add a splash of white vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup and lower it into the water. Cook for around 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks remain soft. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel.

Mix the cornflour and water until smooth. Warm the maple-mustard glaze gently in a small saucepan. Whisk in a little slurry at a time until the glaze is spoonable; you may not need it all. Layer the bacon and two poached eggs on each cheese-topped croissant. Spoon over the warm glaze, rest the tops on and serve with a knife and fork.

Pat the prawns and corn dry. Roughly chop 75g corn; leave the other 75g whole. Finely chop about half the prawns (150g), and cut the rest into small, chunky pieces.

Stir the Greek yoghurt with lime juice, zest, salt and black pepper. Refrigerate while the fritters cook.

Mix the prawns, corn and spring onions. Add the egg, flour, baking powder, salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix just until coated and holding together; use only enough flour to bind the mix together.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spoon in 3–4 rough fritters; make 6–8 overall. Flatten gently to about 1½cm thick. Cook for 2–3 minutes undisturbed until deeply golden underneath. Turn and cook for 2–3 minutes more until golden and the prawns are opaque and cooked through. Use the remaining 1 tbsp oil for further batches.

Pile the hot fritters onto plates with the cold lime yoghurt and give everything a final squeeze of lime.

Squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper until very little liquid comes out. Stir the drained cucumber into the yoghurt with the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, dill, salt and black pepper. Cover and chill while you cook the rolls: the garlic and dill will have time to settle into the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning just before serving.

Open the thighs out so they sit fairly flat and trim any excess skin or gristle away. Season one side with 1 tbsp sumac, ½ tsp salt and black pepper, then turn and repeat on the other side with another 1 tbsp sumac, ½ tsp salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the mild chilli powder to your taste for heat. There is no need to marinate or add oil to the spice rub.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp neutral oil. Lay in the chicken and let the first side develop colour before turning. Cook until the centre is fully cooked and the edges are golden, approximately 5–6 minutes on the first side and 4–5 on the second depending on thickness. Cut into the thickest part: it should be steaming hot with no pink meat and clear juices. Rest briefly, then chop or shred into small pieces. Transfer to a bowl, cover loosely with kitchen paper and keep any resting juices.

Reduce the pan to medium-low and add the thinly sliced onions with the remaining 1 tbsp neutral oil. Stir for 12–15 minutes, until soft, sweet and reduced in volume. If they begin catching before they soften, add a splash of water rather than turning up the heat.

Stir the garlic purée into the onions for 30 seconds, then add the remaining 1 tbsp sumac. Return the chicken and its juices to the pan and toss for 1–2 minutes. Taste a small amount: you want tangy chicken and deeply sweet onions, not liquid pooling underneath. If the filling looks wet, keep cooking until the excess moisture evaporates and the pan starts sizzling again. Spread on a plate to cool just enough to handle.

Mix the flour with 2 tsp water to make a smooth sealing paste, adding a few drops more if needed. Set a strip of filling along the lower third of a thin flatbread square. Roll snugly, keeping the ends open. Run a thin, even line of flour-and-water paste along the final edge and press the seam closed. Too much paste makes a gummy join; you only need enough to secure it. Start with one test roll before finishing the batch.

Set the first roll seam-side down in a dry non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Toast for about 2–3 minutes until the seam sets and the underside is golden, then turn and toast the other side for another 2–3 minutes. The bread should be crisp outside, with the warm chicken and onions tucked inside.

Lift the test roll, check the seam and cut it in half. If it holds together and the filling tastes bright and savoury, roll and toast the others the same way. If the seam opens, use a thinner, more even smear of paste and give it a little longer seam-side down.

For a dinner for one or two, offer the rolls whole with a generous bowl of cold Tzatziki alongside. For a sharing plate, cut them in half and stand them cut-side down on the platter. Keep the sauce separate.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and salt it generously. While it heats, take the yoghurt out of the fridge. Giving it a few minutes to lose its chill will help finish the pasta without turning it cold.

Stir the yoghurt, garlic purée and ¼ tsp salt together in a mixing bowl. Taste a little. The garlic should be clear but not harsh. Leave the yoghurt to stand while you cook the beef and pasta; this will give the flavour a chance to settle. Don’t add the pasta water yet; save it for the final toss, when it will help loosen the yoghurt.

Heat the neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mince, break it up and spread it into an even layer. Leave it undisturbed for 2–3 minutes so the underside develops a proper brown crust. Break it into smaller, irregular pieces, then cook for another 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and no longer pink. If the mince releases a lot of liquid, keep cooking until it evaporates and the beef starts sizzling again.

Add the shells to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions until just tender. Before draining, reserve a mugful of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to its warm saucepan, off the heat.

Reduce the frying-pan heat to medium. Stir the tomato purée into the browned mince and cook for 1 minute. Add the paprika, cumin, chilli flakes, salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the butter and 50ml of the reserved pasta water. Stir and simmer for 1–2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. The liquid should reduce to a small amount of glossy, spice-rich pan juice that coats the beef. Add another splash of pasta water if it dries out completely. Aim for juicy, seasoned beef, not mince floating in gravy. Once the sauce is glossy and coats the beef, remove the pan from the heat. It can dry out quickly.

Whisk 2 tbsp warm pasta water into the yoghurt. It should loosen enough to coat the shells while remaining creamy. Let the drained pasta stand for about 30 seconds, then add the yoghurt to the saucepan with the heat off. Toss thoroughly. If the yoghurt is too thick to coat the shells evenly, add another tablespoon of pasta water. Don’t put the yoghurt-coated pasta back over direct heat. Aim for a silky coating, not split yoghurt.

Divide the garlicky pasta between two warm, shallow bowls. Spoon the hot spiced beef over the top, including its glossy pan juices. Serve immediately, letting the beef and yoghurt mingle as you eat.

Trim away any tough sinew from the lamb but leave some of the fat. Cut into roughly 2cm chunks, about the thickness of your thumb. Aim for pieces small enough to give you plenty of browned surface area but large enough to remain juicy inside.

Mix the grated onion, oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground fennel seeds and fine salt. Add the lamb and massage everything together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or for up to 2 hours if you have time and are preparing ahead. While it marinates, cut the Tiger Salad tomatoes, red onion and green chilli, and roughly chop the coriander. Keep these vegetables cold and undressed. Take the lamb from the fridge when you heat the pan; no need to wait for it to come up to room temperature.

Mix together the ground cumin, crushed cumin seeds, chilli flakes, ground coriander, ground fennel seeds and flaky salt. Keep it beside the hob. Once the lamb starts cooking, this moves quickly.

Put the prepared tomato pieces, sliced red onion and green chilli, and chopped coriander into a bowl. Keep the dressing back until the last moment.

Put a heavy frying pan, cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat and let it become very hot. Add the measured teaspoon of oil. Working with half the lamb at a time, lift the pieces from the marinade and lightly scrape away any heavy excess of grated onion, leaving a thin coating behind. The onion has done its job. Now we need the lamb to char rather than steam.

Add the first batch in a single layer. Leave it alone for about 1 minute to develop colour before turning. Cook for around 4–5 minutes in total, tossing occasionally, until deeply browned outside and cooked through while remaining juicy. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb. Don't overcrowd the pan. This is one of the most important parts of the recipe so take your time.

Return all the lamb and any resting juices to the pan. Reduce the heat slightly and scatter over the spice finish. Toss vigorously for 30–45 seconds, keeping everything moving. The cumin should become intensely fragrant and the spices should cling to the rendered fat and exterior of the lamb. Don't let the spices sit against the hot pan long enough to burn.

Take the pan off the heat. Add the spring onions and coriander, then squeeze over the juice of 1½ limes. Toss thoroughly and taste. You should taste the lime clearly. It cuts through the richness of the lamb and lifts the cumin and chilli. Adjust with another pinch of salt or chilli if necessary. Remove from the pan and serve immediately while the lamb is hot and the edges are still crisp.

Toss the salad with the rice vinegar, light soy sauce, caster sugar and fine salt, plus the sesame oil if using, just before eating. Serve the hot cumin lamb and Tiger Salad over cooked rice.

Start a rice cooker with 120g jasmine rice and its usual water ratio. For the hob, rinse the rice, add 180ml water (or the packet amount), bring to the boil, cover and cook gently for 10–12 minutes. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes and keep warm. Make the cucumber salad in steps 8–11 after cooking the pork.

In a medium bowl, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic paste, ginger paste and black pepper. Taste a tiny bit. The gochujang should lead the flavour. Add the sliced pork and toss until thoroughly coated. That's the entire marinade time. No waiting around.

Get a large frying pan or wok hot. Add the oil. Lift the pork from the bowl, letting the excess marinade drip back into it. Keep the bowl and every bit of marinade left behind. Spread the pork across the pan in as close to a single layer as possible. Leave it alone for 2-3 minutes so the underside can caramelise. Then toss and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until browned around the edges and almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

Keep the pan over high heat. Add the sliced onion and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the onion is beginning to soften and catch around the edges. Aim for colour. Not onion jam.

Pour the 100ml vegetable stock into the bowl that held the pork and marinade. Swirl it around thoroughly to lift every last bit of gochujang mixture from the sides. Return the pork and any resting juices to the pan. Pour in the stock-marinade mixture. As it bubbles, scrape up all the dark sticky bits from the base of the pan.

Bring everything, including the stock that rinsed the marinade bowl, to a lively simmer. Cook for 4–5 minutes, tossing regularly, until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy, spoonable consistency. The sauce should coat the pork and onions while remaining loose enough to spoon over rice. If the sauce looks perfect before the pork is cooked, lower the heat and give it another minute. If it still looks loose after 4 minutes, keep reducing. Trust the pan, not the stopwatch.

Turn off the heat and cover the pan while you finish the cucumber salad. Keep the sauce glossy; do not simmer it again.

Trim the ends from the cucumber. Lay it on a chopping board and bash it with the flat side of a large knife or a rolling pin until it begins to split. Tear or chop into rough, bite-sized pieces, keeping the crisp centres and plenty of edges for the dressing to cling to.

Put the cucumber into a bowl and toss with the ½ tsp salt. Leave for 5 minutes to draw out some excess water and season the cucumber. Tip away the released liquid. If the cucumber is still particularly wet, give it a pat dry with kitchen towel.

Put the gochujang, rice vinegar and soy sauce into a small bowl and whisk until the gochujang has completely incorporated. Add the sweet paprika, sesame oil, caster sugar and garlic paste and mix thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved. Taste it. The vinegar should be very upfront. This is deliberately a punchy dressing; the cucumber will mellow it slightly. Add finely diced fresh chilli if you want more heat.

Add the dressing to the drained cucumber along with most of the spring onion and sesame seeds. Toss thoroughly so the dressing coats everything.

Spoon the pork and sauce over warm rice; scatter over the spring-onion greens and optional sesame seeds. Transfer the cucumber to a serving bowl or pile on the side, finish with any remaining spring onion and sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Heat the oven to 210°C fan / 230°C conventional. Cut the aubergine into substantial chunks, about 2.5cm thick, or into slices, about 2.5cm across. Toss with the oil, salt and black pepper, then spread out on a large oven tray in a single layer. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the edges are deeply golden and the centres are completely soft. The pieces should still hold together when lifted. If they’re browned outside but spongy within, give them a few more minutes.

When the aubergine is nearly done, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Crack each egg into a separate small cup so they’re ready to slip into the water later. Put the miso in a small bowl. Have the butter, garlic purée and rice vinegar beside the hob. Everything moves quickly from here. Aim for the eggs to finish just as the noodles are ready, not sit around while we start making the sauce.

Add the udon to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions, approximately 2–3 minutes, just until the strands separate and are hot throughout. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water and whisk 75ml of it into the miso until smooth. Lift the noodles into a colander with tongs or a sieve, keeping the hot water in the saucepan for the eggs.

Reduce the saucepan to a gentle simmer, with only small bubbles rising. Add a splash of white vinegar and stir. Lower each cup close to the water and gently slip in the eggs. Poach for about 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. While they cook, make the miso butter and finish the noodles in the frying pan.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic purée and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant without browning. Pour in the miso and water and stir until combined with the butter. Warm gently; don’t boil it down. Add the drained udon and toss for 1–2 minutes, until every strand is coated in a glossy sauce. Add more reserved noodle water, a tablespoon at a time, if the noodles begin to look dry. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rice vinegar.

Add the roasted aubergine. If using slices, add to the side or if using chunks, fold gently through the noodles, keeping the pieces as intact as possible. The aubergine will absorb some sauce, so add another small splash of noodle water if needed. The noodles should stay glossy, with no pool of melted butter underneath. Divide between two warm bowls.

Lift the poached eggs out with a slotted spoon, allowing the water to drain away thoroughly. Place one egg on each bowl and serve immediately.

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Cook 150g dry rice separately following your rice cooker or packet instructions; keep covered until you need it.

Dice the peppers into roughly 1cm pieces. Mix both sweet and smoked paprikas, onion powder or granules, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Keep the garlic paste and tomato purée nearby.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spread the mince in an even layer and leave it alone for 2–3 minutes to brown. Break it up and cook for another 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over. Let any liquid evaporate until the sizzling returns.

Add the diced peppers to the turkey. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but with some bite. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Stir in the garlic paste for 30 seconds. Add the tomato purée and spice mix. Stir for about 1 minute, until fragrant and slightly darker. Keep the heat low so the paprika doesn’t scorch.

Add the light soy sauce and 50ml water, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the turkey and peppers are glossy rather than swimming in sauce. Taste: the mixture should be slightly more intensely seasoned than the finished rice.

Fluff the cooked rice and add it to the pan. Turn the heat to medium and gently fold for 2–3 minutes, until the grains are evenly reddish-orange. Add a splash of water only if the pan is dry. Remove from the heat and rest for 2–3 minutes.

Pat the drained sweetcorn dry. Heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a separate frying pan over very high heat. Spread the corn in a thin layer, leave for about 2 minutes, then toss and cook for 3–4 minutes more until some kernels have golden or browned edges.

Stir the Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise, garlic paste, ginger paste, finely chopped chilli, cayenne pepper, lime juice, spring onion whites and a pinch of salt together. Taste carefully; add more yoghurt if the heat is too strong.

Divide the warm turkey and pepper rice between two bowls. Coat the charred corn with the spicy dressing and spoon alongside the rice. Scatter over the spring onion greens and add a lime wedge.

Gently squeeze excess moisture from the tofu, then pat it thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Tear the tofu into rough 1.5–2cm chunks rather than cutting it into perfect cubes. Those ragged edges give more surface area to crisp and more places for the glaze to cling. Toss with the cornflour and salt until lightly and evenly coated. Add a little more cornflour only if needed to coat all the pieces.

Crumble the feta into a tall, narrow jug. Add the Greek yoghurt, sriracha, olive oil, lemon juice and a generous grind of black pepper. Push a stick blender down into the mixture and blend until thick, smooth and whipped, moving the blender gently as necessary. If it's too thick for the blender to catch, add Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp at a time until it comes together. Don't automatically add more. Taste before adding salt; the feta and sriracha already bring plenty. Spread the whipped feta generously across two plates.

Stir together the rose harissa, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and grated garlic. It should taste slightly too intense on its own. That's deliberate. It's about to coat 400g of tofu.

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer. Cook for 7–9 minutes, turning every couple of minutes until deeply golden and crisp on several sides. Let the edges colour between turns.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the harissa-honey mixture and quickly toss it through the tofu. Cook for 1–2 minutes, tossing regularly, until the glaze has reduced and become sticky, glossy and thoroughly coated around the tofu. Remove from the heat as soon as the glaze clings: honey can scorch quickly.

Pile the hot, sticky tofu over the cold sriracha whipped feta. Scatter over the parsley and sliced spring onion. Serve with lemon wedges and warm flatbreads, torn into pieces for scooping up the whipped feta and sticky tofu.

Line the base of a 23cm springform tin. Crush or blend the biscuits to fine crumbs. Dissolve 2 tsp instant coffee in the 2 tsp boiling water until smooth, then stir into the melted butter. Mix with the crumbs and salt thoroughly to a consistent colour and press firmly into an even layer across the base. Refrigerate while making the filling.

Stir 12g instant coffee into 25ml boiling water until completely dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature. Use instant coffee rather than ground coffee, so the filling stays smooth.

Briefly beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the mascarpone, icing sugar and salt and mix gently until just combined. Mix in the cooled coffee concentrate, scraping the bowl until the colour is even.

Whip the cold double cream in a separate bowl to medium-firm peaks that hold their shape but still look smooth. Fold a third into the coffee mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remainder. Stop folding as soon as no streaks remain, keeping the filling light.

Spoon onto the base and smooth the top. Cover without touching the filling and refrigerate overnight, about 18 hours. The filling must be thoroughly cold and firm enough to hold a wedge before unmoulding.

Put the brown sugar, butter, cream and salt in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until glossy and lightly coating a spoon. Leave to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally; it should still pour. Do not pour warm sauce onto the cheesecake.

Once the cheesecake is fully set, leave it in its tin and pour the cooled butterscotch over the entire top. Gently tilt the tin to spread it evenly. Return to the fridge until the topping is thoroughly cold and has thickened. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Run a thin knife around the ring and release carefully. Support the metal base; the parchment can slide. Dust the butterscotch lightly with cocoa. Cut into eight wedges with a clean knife.