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Welcome to
MAY T
3 OF
MY FAVES this month
his month gives us something glorious: two bank holiday weekends. Two perfect excuses to gather people round the table, cook generously and share dishes that keep everyone reaching for “just one more”. That spirit runs right through this issue. Turn to page 21 for big sharing feasts, packed with generous platters for feeding friends – think cumin & mint lamb skewers piled over creamy hummus, vibrant salads and a strawberry dessert to grace the middle of the table so everyone can dive in. When the weather behaves (surely at least once across two long weekends?), it’s time to take things outside. Head to page 86 where we’ve teamed up with food writer and chef Melissa Thompson to guide you through the art of live-fire cooking. From clever ways to set up your barbecue to flavour-packed recipes Turn to p67 for our like curry chicken kebabs, seafood barbecue dedicated section created boil and smoky veg sides, everything you need with our colleagues at Good Health by Good Food. This to cook confidently over coals is here. month’s 16-page mini-zine So make the most of those long weekends. focuses on brain health, Invite people over. Light the barbecue. Cook with w ith h exp expert advice and with generosity. And pass the plates around. recipes designed rec to keep your grey matter in peak condition. p It’s genius.
Keith Kendrick, Group magazines editor @keithk_goodfood
ELDERFLOWER APPLE CREAM PUFFS No ingredient shouts sunshine quite like elderflower. Make the most of this seasonal star with our fragrant twist on a crowdpleasing bake (p13).
GOCHUJANG-GLAZED PORK MEATBALLS Sweet, spicy and packed with umami, these juicy meatballs are served in crisp lettuce cups with pickled mooli and carrot (p26).
Editor’s portrait GABBY HARRINGTON
FRIENDS of GOOD FOOD
ON THE COVER Recipe HELENA BUSIAKIEWICZ Photographer CHELSEA BLOXSOME Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY Food stylist KATIE MARSHALL Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON
Sophie Godwin Chef, food writer and founder of catering company Scramble LDN. Turn to p102 for her relaxed sharing dishes including Basque cheesecake and prawn spaghetti.
T U R N TO PAG E 3 2 TO S U B S C R I B E TO T H E M AGA Z I N E A N D A P P A N D G E T S I X I SS U E S FO R £ 9.99 For subscription queries, visit goodfood.com/contact-us
Brin Pirathapan The MasterChef 2024 champion and food writer shares bold, flavour-packed recipes and chef’s tricks. Try his mum’s incredible aubergine poriyal (p52).
Melissa Thompson See page 86 for chef and BBQ expert Melissa’s masterclass in live-fire cooking, from her curry chicken kebabs to a spectacular seafood BBQ boil.
NEXT LEVEL CHEESE SCONES Our skills editor Barney has transformed the humble cheese scone (p118). Seriously cheesy, flaky and light, slather with butter for an afternoon treat.
We launched the Good Food SME Awards to celebrate small and medium-sized businesses, recognising their innovation, creativity and commitment in a competitive marketplace. Look out for the winners in next month’s issue. goodfood.com/the-sme-awards
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 3
p50
CONT p98
SEASONAL
9 AT ITS BEST NOW New ways with spring produce including elderflower, broad beans and peas
MAIN EVENT 21 HURRAY FOR LONG WEEKENDS Make the most of the bank holidays with our bold sharing dishes
COOK SMART 36 COOK SMART TONIGHT Handy storecupboard staples like chipotle paste can transform meals
Biggest and best We’re proud to be Britain’s biggest-selling food magazine and the UK’s No.1 food website, goodfood.com. Our contributors – chefs, our in-house team and confident columnists – are experts in their fields. Join the conversation in our twice weekly podcasts. Our best-selling cookbooks feature our trusted recipes. Recipes for everyone We always include easy dishes, ideas for entertaining and ‘more effort’ recipes for when you want to better your skills.
44 MONDAY MASH-UP Two Italian-American favourites in one
58 THREE WAYS WITH HONEY Delicious sweet and savoury ideas
46 SUMMER SLOW COOKER Spend more time in the sunshine while dinner is left to simmer
62 THAI IN NO TIME Swap your Friday night takeaway for these speedy Thai classics
52 MAXIMISE THE FLAVOUR MasterChef winner Brin Pirathapan shares vibrant dishes, including his mum’s fried aubergine
WEEKEND
67 EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH A 16-page special with expert tips, advice and recipes to boost your grey matter
Tested and trusted All our recipes are thoroughly tested to ensure they’ll work for you. We put our gadgets through rigorous tests and carry out our taste tests fairly. Our reviews are written by us with honesty at heart. Ethical We care about the food we eat, the people who produce it and the effect this has on the world. We use humanely reared British meats, high-welfare chicken and eggs, and sustainable fish where possible. We aim to reduce food waste, with advice on using leftovers.
4 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Healthy eating Every recipe is analysed by our BANT-registered nutritionist, so you can be informed when you choose what to eat. We flag up vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free recipes. Find out more about our health philosophy on p145. Families and children Families can need help to create harmonious mealtimes, so we flag up ‘family’ recipes. We encourage kids to get cooking with recipes that help them to learn new skills. Find out more at goodfood.com/family-kids.
86 CREATIVITY ON THE COALS Melissa Thompson’s modern grill recipes 94 BANK HOLIDAY TREATS Fun ideas the whole family will love 102 FOOD FOR FRIENDS Relaxed entertaining dishes from chef Sophie Godwin
Eating like a local One of the joys of travel – both in the UK and overseas – is discovering great food. Our features are written from an insider perspective by on-the-ground writers and food and travel journalists. Independent and respected We are impartial and independent, so you can trust our advice and recommendations on everything from restaurants and wine to kitchen gadgets and more. We encourage your input on your local finds, and appreciate your feedback on our recommendations.
Food is our passion and pleasure We take food seriously, but we also believe it’s a pleasure to be enjoyed, whether cooking for the family, trying an unfamiliar ingredient, buying new products or eating out. We share our food discoveries and adventures with you – and love you to share the same with us on social media using #goodfoodeveryday.
108 MY FAVOURITE DISH Megan McKenna on the challenges of coeliac disease, plus her short rib ragu
120 LEARN SOMETHING NEW Discover the key to Chinese cooking with top chef Andrew Wong
112 TABLE FOR FOUR Joanna and Mathew chat to ex Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips and actor Bradley Riches
123 5 HOT FRYING PANS Top kitchen kit for everyday cooking
IN THE KNOW
125 TRIED, TASTED, RECOMMENDED We sample new products, including tiramisu ice cream and duck dumplings
118 NEXT LEVEL CHEESE SCONES Take this bake to new heights with nifty techniques for a crisp, flaky finish
126 BOOKS FOR COOKS The titles to look out for this month, plus a recipe for Turkish cheat’s manti
TRAVEL 138 HIGHLAND GETAWAY Escape to a remote Scottish shooting lodge with a Michelin-starred restaurant 140 BEACH DAYS Head to the seaside with our three top spots in the South-East, ideal for a day trip 143 8 THINGS TO TRY IN AHMEDABAD Featuring lentil balls and fudgy sweets 144 THE TRIP LIST Food festivals and flower shows in May
ENTS MAY 2026
EVERY MONTH
p19
7 RECIPE FINDER For every recipe in this issue
32 SUBSCRIBER CLUB Enjoy member benefits and savings 51 NEXT MONTH A taste of our June issue 146 IN THE TEST KITCHEN What goes on behind the scenes 130 LOCAL HEROES A community farm owned by thousands 136 MAKE A METRE MATTER Grow your own with Gardeners’ World
Our commitment At Immediate Media, publishers of Good Food, we respect and value differences. We understand that when people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we can create the most value for our readers, our people and society. We always strive to be inclusive, but we need to do better. We have been taking time to listen and understand how we can make positive changes, and how we can better support and increase diversity across all our brands. We continue to work on a comprehensive plan to create and drive authentic change.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 5
18
STRAINS STRA OF LIVE CU CULTURES FOR YOUR YOUR GUT
+ KEY VI VITAMINS TAMINS AMINS Contains vitamin D to o help lp support no normal immunity and vitamin B2 & B12 to suppo supp support ort energy-yi energy-yielding elding metabolism. are owned licensed Trade marks ar re own wned by or lic censed to the companies. PM-GB-CNT-26-00010 Haleon group of compan c anies. PM-GB-C B-CNT-26T-26T -26-00010
RECIPE FINDER Chicken satay curry 63 Curry chicken kebabs 87 Honey-glazed chicken 60 Korean chicken & rice 56 Slow cooker buffalo chicken 47 Sticky chicken wings with pickled slaw & corn salad 38
FISH & SEAFOOD
p103 BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
Honey-butter toast 59 Turkish one-pan eggs & peppers 74
MEAT Cheesy hot dogs with pickle mustard sauce & crispy onions 98 Cowboy pie 114 MAKE THE COVER Cumin & mint lamb skewers with hummus 22 Drunken noodles (pad kee mao) 64 Gochujang-glazed pork meatballs with pickled mooli & carrot 26 Harissa lamb meatballs with broad beans & garlic yogurt 11 Maple & mustard glazed pork chops with green bean & potato salad 38 Risotto primavera with crispy parmesan & prosciutto 19 Short rib ragu of dreams 110 Yoğurtlu, kıymalı makarna (Cheat’s mantı) 127
POULTRY Chicken & avocado salad with blueberry balsamic dressing 72 Chicken parm alla vodka 44
make it, snap it, post it ay @goodfoodeveryd day #goodfoodevery
Citrus & soy side of salmon with sticky rice, cucumber salad & edamame 30 Mustardy roast beetroot & potato salad with hot smoked trout 15 Panko-crumbed fish with charred crispy broccoli 42 Penne with broccoli, lemon & anchovies 78 Salmon & purple sprouting broccoli grain bowl 76 Sardines with chickpeas, lemon & parsley 75 Seafood barbecue boil 88 Seared tuna & asaparagus niçoise 97 Seriously good prawn spaghetti 104
VEGETARIAN MAINS Amma’s aubergine poriyal 53 Cauliflower & curried mayo burgers 95 Chipotle & orange roasted carrots with almond crumbs & feta yogurt 37 Courgette crunch 54 Gnocco fritto with lemony mascarpone & pistachio pesto 28 Loaded ricotta griddled toasts 40 Slow cooker 12-plant minestrone 48 Slow cooker bean chilli 50 Spaghetti with spinach & walnut pesto 73 Summer egg salad with basil & peas 75 Warm maple-glazed carrot & giant couscous salad with green tahini 17
STARTERS, SIDES, SNACKS & EXTRAS
Candied jalapeños 22 Confit tomato toasts with crispy capers & basil 103 Courgettes with ricotta, lemon & chilli 91 Coronation chicken scotch eggs 100 Crispy onions 99 Herby quinoa salad 92 Homemade Old Bay seasoning 88 Quick flatbreads 23 Quick pickled onions 87 Roasted beetroot with walnuts & buffalo mozzarella 92 Roasted cauliflower with yogurt & brown butter 90 Whipped feta 96
BAKING & DESSERTS
Basque cheesecake 107 Elderflower apple cream puffs 13 Honey & lime ice cream 59 Next level cheese scones 119 Roasted strawberry filo crinkle pie 24 Vegan
p36
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Good Food (ISSN No: 0957-588X) is published monthly by Immediate Media Company, London UK, and is distributed in the USA by ePG, 18 Central Blvd, S Hackensack NJ 07606. Periodicals postage paid at So Hackensack NJ. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Good Food, c/o 18 Central Blvd, S Hackensack NJ 07606
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 7
Meat-free meals in a flash 100+ vibrant
Colourful mains with a nod to Mediterranean classics
recipes
Make the most of fresh produce in exciting new ways
Make showstopping meals that put vegetables centre stage and achieve the best results using everyone’s favourite kitchen gadget. With over 100 recipes, you won’t be short of inspiration.
Crowd-pleasing bakes without turning the oven on
On sale now Available in all supermarkets or order online at magsdirect.co.uk
seasonal
At its best Get the most out of May produce with fresh ideas using elderflower, broad beans, peas, beetroot and baby carrots recipes CASSIE BEST photographs MAJA SMEND
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 9
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Broad beans
e’re seeing a huge surge in the popularity of beans, with social media influencers and companies like Bold Bean and Hodmedods making beans cool again. (Were they ever cool? Well, they are now!) This rise in popularity is backed by the Food Foundation’s ‘Bang in some Beans’ campaign, driving the nation to increase their consumption. Good for the planet, good for your health and budget-friendly, it’s no wonder the movement is doing well, but there’s one bean we’re definitely not eating enough of. Broad beans are grown here in the UK and frozen at their peak to retain optimum nutrients (just like peas) or dried and sold as fava beans (check out Honest Bean). Broad beans are great to add to your meals all year round, but they’re especially lovely eaten fresh during their peak season. Plus, they’re fun to prep – no, really! They come in a thick duvet of a pod that is so satisfying to pop open, revealing beans wrapped in a pale, waxy skin that is edible. However, the beans are much nicer if you take the time to ‘double pod’. To do this, simply pierce the cooked bean skin with your nail and the vibrant green bean will tip out. A little time-consuming, but highly cathartic. Enjoy in salads, pastas or blitzed to make a hummus-like dip.
10 goodfood.com MAY 2026
seasonal Harissa lamb meatballs with broad beans & garlic yogurt This dish looks rather impressive but only takes 30 mins to get on the table. Served with warm flatbreads for scooping, this is the perfect dish for a casual dinner with friends. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 10 mins EASY
1 Tip the mince into a large bowl, add the cumin, coriander, harissa, lemon zest, parsley and half of the crushed garlic. Season well and combine the mixture using your hands. Roll into mini meatballs, about the size of a small cherry tomato. Put on a plate and chill until you’re ready to serve. 2 If using fresh broad beans, put them in a pan and pour over boiling water. Simmer for 5 mins, then drain and plunge into cold water. When cool enough to handle, pierce each bean with your nail and slip each one out of its skin. Discard the skins. If using frozen broad beans, cover with boiling water, leave to stand until defrosted, then pod them. 3 To make the garlic yogurt, combine the yogurt with the remaining garlic, a small squeeze of lemon juice and a little salt. Leave at room temperature for 30 mins if you can. 4 Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Cook the meatballs for around 5 mins, rolling them around the pan to colour them on all sides, until deep brown and glossy. 5 Drain the beans well, then toss with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of oil and salt. 6 Spread the yogurt over a large plate or platter. Spoon over the broad beans and meatballs, drizzling generously with some of the oily juices from the pan. Scatter over the herbs and pomegranate seeds, then serve with the warm flatbreads for scooping. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 716 kcals • fat 31g • saturates 11g • carbs 62g • sugars 13g • fibre 9g • protein 43g • salt 1.26g
Shoot director LAURIE NEWMAN | Food stylist SEIKO HATFIELD | Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON | Portrait of Cassie GABBY HARRINGTON
500g lamb mince 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tbsp harissa 1 lemon, zested and juiced small bunch of parsley, chopped, plus extra to serve 2 garlic cloves, crushed 250g podded broad beans, fresh or frozen 400g natural yogurt olive oil, for frying and drizzling a few sprigs of dill, leaves picked a few sprigs of mint, leaves picked 50g pomegranate seeds 4 flatbreads, warmed
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 11
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Elderflower
y kids look forward to elderflower season every year. We head out armed with big bags and a pair of clippers, snipping off the frothy white pom-pom heads to make elderflower cordial, or my son’s absolute favourite: elderflower sorbet (my recipe is on goodfood.com). Of course the flavour of elderflower can be enjoyed all year round, poured straight from a bottle, but whether you’re cooking with the fresh flowers or cordial, it somehow tastes better when it’s enjoyed in peak season – and nothing beats an icy Hugo Spritz on a sunny May bank holiday. When picking, choose flower heads where most of the tiny buds have opened. The blooms should be creamy white, fresh and unblemished. Handle them gently; too much shaking and you’ll lose their fragrant pollen, which is where much of the flavour lies. The secret to making a well-flavoured cordial is to pick the flowers on a sunny day before it gets too hot, then use as soon as possible. And, as with all foraging, be mindful of where you pick. Avoid bushes close to busy roads, and never gather flowers from lower than knee height (any dog owner will know why!).
12 goodfood.com MAY 2026
seasonal Elderflower apple cream puffs If you have time, try making your own cordial to use here – search for the recipe on our website. Of course, shop-bought also works, bringing sweet, floral notes to these pastries. MAKES 4 PREP 20 mins plus cooling COOK 30 mins EASY V
2 Bramley apples (about 400g in total), peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes 2 tsp cornflour 4 tbsp light brown soft sugar 3 tbsp elderflower cordial 320g sheet all-butter puff pastry 200ml double cream 100g mascarpone ½ lemon, zested icing sugar, for dusting
1 Tip the apples into a saucepan, sprinkle with cornflour and sugar and toss to coat, then stir in 1 tbsp of the elderflower cordial. Cook over a medium heat for 4-5 mins, until the apples have softened a little but still hold their shape and the liquid is syrupy. Leave to cool completely. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll the pastry on your work surface, keeping it on the baking parchment. Cut into four squares, roughly 12cm x 12cm. You’ll have a strip of pastry leftover which can be used for another recipe (perfect for cheese straws). Place the pastry squares on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. 3 Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the apple filling into the centre of each square then fold them over to make triangles. Don’t press the edges down too firmly, you want them to open as they cook. Bake for 20-22 mins in the centre of the oven, until puffed up and golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 20 mins or completely if you’re baking ahead of time. 4 When you’re ready to serve, whisk together the cream, mascarpone and remaining 2 tbsp elderflower cordial in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and whisk until holding very soft peaks; don’t overwhip here as the cream will firm up when you pipe it. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large circular nozzle. This can be chilled until you’re ready to serve. 5 Carefully ease each pastry open along the seam, then pipe in a generous squiggle of cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve. The puffs (or turnovers) are delicious served warm, but the cream will start to melt if serving them this way, so they’re best filled just before serving. Alternatively, leave them to cool completely before piping in the cream and they’ll happily sit for a few hours. GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 926 kcals • fat 72g • saturates 42g • carbs 60g • sugars 33g • fibre 4g • protein 7g • salt 0.78g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 13
Baby beets
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14 goodfood.com MAY 2026
eetroot is grown year-round in the UK, but the golfball-sized bunches that start appearing in late May and continue through the summer are a particular treat. These young beets are tender, earthy and naturally sweet. If you’re lucky, you might spot some of the more colourful varieties, too. Golden and candy-striped beets are my favourites, especially thinly shaved into salads where their colour and gentle sweetness shine, although their pretty colours do fade a little once cooked. The deep crimson variety, on the other hand, becomes richer and more intense with heat, making it my first choice for roasting, baking or adding to warm dishes. The entire beetroot plant is edible, from root to stem. Baby beetroot leaves are especially delicate and tender, brilliant for adding a peppery note to salads. And with young beetroot there’s no need to peel them either; their skins are thin and delicate, so a quick scrub is all they need.
seasonal Mustardy roast beetroot & potato salad with hot smoked trout This warm salad makes a wonderful summer lunch but is also delicious served cold. If you’re packing it into a lunchbox, keep the shallots in a separate container to scatter over just before serving so they stay crispy. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus 10 mins cooling COOK 1 hr EASY
600g small beetroot 750g new potatoes 1 tsp caraway seeds 2 tbsp olive oil vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying 3 banana shallots, finely sliced into rings 250g hot smoked trout For the dressing 150g soured cream 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 lemon, zested plus 1/2 juiced 15g dill
1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Wash the beetroot well and cut off the stalks and any tough areas of skin. If the beetroot are small, cut them in half, any larger, cut them into quarters or eighths. Tip them onto one end of a large baking tray. Cut the potatoes into similar sized chunks, or leave them whole if they’re small. Tip them onto the other side of the tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and the caraway seeds. Toss the veg until well coated, but keep them on separate ends of the tray to prevent the beets from bleeding their purple juices onto the potatoes. Bake for 1 hr, until the beets are knife tender and the potatoes are golden. 2 Meanwhile heat a thin layer of sunflower oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat. Fry the shallots for 4-5 mins, keeping an eye on them as they can burn easily. When golden brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season and set aside to cool. 3 In a large bowl make the dressing by whisking together the soured cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice and seasoning. Roughly chop half the dill and stir through. 4 When the beets and potatoes are cooked, leave to cool for 10 mins, then tip the potatoes into the dressing and toss to coat. Mix in the beetroot along with any oil from the tray. Spoon onto a serving platter, season and flake over the smoked trout in chunks, scatter with the fried shallots and the remaining dill sprigs. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • omega-3 • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 500 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 7g • carbs 44g • sugars 16g • fibre 8g • protein 24g • salt 3.04g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 15
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Baby carrots
arrots are such a constant in my kitchen that I sometimes forget they deserve the spotlight. Like onions, they provide a gentle sweetness that underpins so many dishes – stews, ragùs and soups often begin with a mirepoix of sautéed onions, celery and carrots. My kids’ lunchboxes almost always contain carrot batons with a dip, and Sunday lunch wouldn’t feel complete without a bowl of carrots on the side (I love them simply cooked with butter and thyme). So, it feels about time we made them the star of the show. Late spring is perfect for that, when young carrots are ready for harvest. If you can find them small and slender, they’re wonderful roasted whole, where their natural sweetness really shines and they hold their own as the hero of the dish. Some supermarkets, and certainly farmers’ markets, sell them in bunches with the fluffy green tops still attached. Grab these if you can: you’re getting two ingredients in one. The tops have a fresh, slightly parsley-like flavour and are brilliant whizzed into a pesto or stirred into a punchy salsa verde.
16 goodfood.com MAY 2026
seasonal Warm maple-glazed carrot & giant couscous salad with green tahini To make it vegan, leave out the halloumi and use a plant-based yogurt. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V
450g baby carrots 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or pul biber, or use a mild chilli flake 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp olive oil 1 /2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 1 lemon, juiced 200g giant couscous 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 225g block halloumi, cut into cubes small bunch of mint, plus some leaves to serve small bunch of parsley or carrot tops, plus some leaves to serve 1 garlic clove 100g natural yogurt 2 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped 6 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If the carrots are chunky cut them into long batons, or if using slim carrots, leave them whole. Toss with the maple syrup, pepper flakes, vinegar, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a roasting tray. Bake for 30 mins, shaking the tray halfway through cooking. 2 Put the fennel in a medium bowl and season, then squeeze over the juice of half the lemon. Mix well and set aside to lightly pickle. 3 Cook the couscous following pack instructions, then drain and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil. Set aside. 4 When the carrots have had 30 mins cooking time, add the halloumi to the tray, tossing to help coat it in the juices. Roast for another 10-15 mins until the halloumi is golden and the carrots are soft and sticky. 5 Next make the green tahini sauce. Put the mint, parsley, garlic, yogurt, tahini, remaining lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, with a good pinch of salt, in a small food processor. Blitz until smooth, adding a drizzle of water to loosen the sauce if needed. 6 Give the couscous a stir to help loosen, then tip onto a plate. Top with the carrots, halloumi and their sticky roasting juices. Add the fennel, scatter over the pistachios, dates and fresh herbs and drizzle over the dressing. Toss everything together before serving. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 625 kcals • fat 31g • saturates 12g • carbs 56g • sugars 21g • fibre 9g • protein 25g • salt 1.87g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 17
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Peas
eas are one of the crops I try to grow most years (with mixed success) although I have to admit that frozen peas are usually just as good, often better. They’re plunged into a deep freeze within minutes of being picked, which stops their natural sugars turning to starch and helps preserve both their sweetness and nutrients. Frozen peas live in my freezer all year round, ready to be stirred into pasta, tossed through a stir-fry, or served with their favourite partner, fish fingers! They are the ultimate healthy convenience food, loved by kids and adults alike. So why bother growing your own or eating them fresh when they’re in season? Well, for me, the joy of growing peas at home is eating them straight from the vine. When the pods are young and tender you can eat them whole, just as you would mangetout or sugar snaps. And once the pods are plump and full, there’s the simple pleasure of popping them open and tipping the peas straight into your mouth – the garden’s very own sweet shop. I love the little extras that come with growing peas, too: delicate pea shoots and pretty flowers to scatter over salads or use as a garnish, and the tougher, more mature pods can be tossed into a stock for risotto or pea soup.
18 goodfood.com MAY 2026
seasonal Risotto primavera with crispy parmesan & prosciutto SERVES 2 PREP 25 mins plus cooling COOK 45 mins EASY
75g parmesan, finely grated, plus the rind 200g podded broad beans, fresh or frozen 1 litre good-quality chicken stock 200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off and set aside, stems cut into short batons 100g podded peas, fresh or frozen 4 slices prosciutto 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 150g risotto rice 75ml white wine 50g mascarpone 1 /2 lemon, zested small bunch of basil, chives or pea shoots
1 To make parmesan crisps, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with parchment. Arrange 2 x 25g piles of parmesan on the tray, allowing space for them to spread. Bake for 10-15 mins until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 2 If using fresh broad beans, boil in a pan of hot water for 5 mins. If frozen, put in a heatproof bowl and pour over hot water from the kettle, then leave to stand for 5 mins. Drain and plunge into cold water. When cool, pop each bean out of its skin. Discard the skins. 3 Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a steady simmer with the asparagus ends, pea pods, if using fresh peas, and parmesan rind. 4 Cook the prosciutto slices in a high-sided frying pan over a medium heat for 2-3 mins per side. Remove to a plate to crisp up. 5 In the same pan, heat the olive oil and soften the shallots for 5 mins. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the rice and cook for 2 mins until opaque. 6 Stir in the wine, then start adding a ladleful of the hot stock every 3-4 mins, or until the rice has absorbed the previous ladleful, stirring the whole time. This can take between 20-30 mins. You may not need all the stock – the rice is cooked when it is tender with a little bite. Blanch the asparagus stems in boiling water. 7 Stir the mascarpone, peas, lemon zest and a squeeze of juice and remaining parmesan to the rice and season. Add a splash more stock to loosen if needed. Drain the asparagus and tip into the rice with the broad beans, but don’t stir. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and leave to sit for a few minutes. To serve, drizzle with olive oil, scatter with herbs or pea shoots, and top with the parmesan crisps and prosciutto. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • iron • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 882 kcals • fat 34g • saturates 17g • carbs 81g • sugars 10g • fibre 17g • protein 49g • salt 4.47g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 19
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MAY 2026 goodfood.com 21
Cumin & mint lamb skewers with hummus Juicy spiced lamb is perfectly balanced by creamy hummus here, with a scattering of herbs for freshness and pomegranate seeds for pops of sweetness. You could add another layer of flavour by making candied jalapeños, too, for spicier notes – but don’t be tempted to walk away from the hob while making them, as they’ll be ready quickly. SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins plus at least 1 hr chilling COOK 30 mins EASY
150g Greek yogurt 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp dried mint 1 tsp ground turmeric 800g lamb shoulder, cut into small chunks (see tip) 2 tbsp olive oil To serve 500g hummus 1 /2 red onion, finely chopped 50g pomegranate seeds 15g mint, leaves picked 15g dill, leaves picked flatbreads or rice (see opposite)
1 Combine the yogurt, garlic and spices in a large bowl, and season generously with salt. Stir through the lamb chunks until well coated, then cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or overnight. 2 Heat the grill to high. Line the base of a large baking tray with foil and put a wire rack on top. Thread the lamb onto 12 metal skewers, brush all over with the olive oil, then arrange on the wire rack. Grill for 13-18 mins until charred, golden and juicy. 3 Spoon the hummus over a large platter, then arrange the skewers on top (remove the meat from the skewers first, if you like). Scatter over the onion, pomegranate seeds and herbs (if you want to add candied jalapeños, see tip). Serve with flatbreads for scooping or cooked rice. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • gluten free PER SERVING 650 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 12g • carbs 30g • sugars 21g • fibre 6g • protein 34g • salt 1.09g
CANDIED JALAPEÑOS Tip 125ml apple cider vinegar into a small saucepan, add 5 tbsp caster sugar and a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. Add 4 sliced jalapeños and cook for 4-5 mins over a medium heat until beginning to soften. Remove to a small heatproof bowl using a slotted spoon. Continue to cook the liquid for 1-2 mins more over a high heat until thick and syrupy, then pour this over the jalapeños. Set aside to cool – the syrup will thicken slightly as it does. Scatter over the lamb in step 4.
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main event HELENA’S TIP
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We used lamb shoulder, but diced lamb leg would work, too.
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QUICK FLATBREADS Mix 250g plain flour with 250g Greek yogurt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt and a drizzle of olive oil until combined, then knead into a soft dough. Divide into balls, then roll out into rough ovals or circles. Cook in a dry frying pan for a few minutes on each side until lightly golden and fluffy.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 23
Roasted strawberry filo crinkle pie I was first introduced to the concept of a crinkle pie by food writer Gurdeep Loyal, who makes a savoury carbonara version. My sweet strawberry pie has a texture a bit like bread & butter pudding, but with a few crispy bits from the filo. Don’t worry about keeping the filo sheets super-neat – they look better when arranged a bit haphazardly! SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr 30 mins EASY V
200ml double cream 200ml whole milk 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 3 eggs 3 tbsp custard powder 4 tbsp golden caster sugar 50g salted butter, plus extra for the tin 270g filo pastry sheets 1 tbsp demerara sugar vanilla ice cream, cream or yogurt, to serve For the roasted strawberries 600g strawberries, hulled and halved (quartered, if very large) 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the strawberries in the tin, then toss with the sugar, half the lemon zest and all the lemon juice. Roast for 45 mins until the strawberries have darkened and softened slightly, but are still holding their shape – they will have released plenty of juice. Leave to cool slightly, reserving the juice in the tin. 2 Bring the cream, milk and vanilla to a simmer in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until just
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steaming. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, custard powder, caster sugar and remaining lemon zest into a loose paste in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly stream in the warm milk mixture, whisking continuously until you have a custard. Set aside. 3 Turn the oven up to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and butter a deep 30cm roasting tin. Melt 50g butter in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave, or a small pan on the hob. Working with one sheet of filo at a time, lay out on a work surface (cover the remaining pastry sheets with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out). Brush with a little melted butter, then spoon over 2-3 roasted strawberries. Push two opposing ends of the pastry sheet together towards the middle to concertina it (it doesn’t need to be neat), then arrange in the tin. Repeat with the remaining pastry, reserving a few of the strawberries for the top. 4 Pour over the custard, then sprinkle over the demerara sugar and top with the reserved berries. Bake for 40 mins until the pie is golden, gently bubbling and crisp at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle. Cool slightly and serve warm with ice cream, cream or yogurt. GOOD TO KNOW folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 575 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 17g • carbs 65g • sugars 33g • fibre 5g • protein 9g • salt 0.78g
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HELENA’S TIP Stewed apples and blackberries would work well if you’re baking outside of strawberry season.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 25
Gochujang-glazed pork meatballs with pickled mooli & carrot To make things simpler, get the pickles ready the day before – the meatballs come together quickly, so with the pickles already prepared, it’s an easy option for last-minute entertaining. SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins plus overnight chilling COOK 20 mins EASY
400g pork mince 1 tbsp lemongrass paste 1 tbsp garlic & ginger paste 15g chives, finely chopped 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp gochujang 1 tbsp runny honey 25g salted butter 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar For the pickles 1 mooli (about 350g), thinly sliced into half-moons (use a mandoline, if you have one) 2 carrots (about 170g), thinly sliced into half-moons (use a mandoline, if you have one) 300ml white wine vinegar 150g caster sugar 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tbsp black peppercorns To serve 2 Little Gem or round lettuces, leaves separated to make cups 15g mint, coriander or basil, leaves picked
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1 First, make the pickles. Pack the sliced mooli and carrots into a large, sterilised jar (see tip). Put 100ml water, the vinegar, sugar, fennel seeds, peppercorns and 11/2 tsp fine sea salt in a medium saucepan. Warm over a low heat to gently dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer. Pour the mixture into the jar to cover the veg. Leave to cool completely, then screw the lid on the jar and keep chilled overnight. 2 Combine the pork mince, lemongrass and garlic & ginger pastes and the chives in a large bowl. Season well and mix thoroughly using your hands, then roll into about 20 x 30g meatballs – if you like, make one meatball and fry until cooked through, then taste for seasoning before rolling the rest of the meatballs out. 3 Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 2-3 mins on each side, stirring until golden brown all over. Meanwhile, mix the gochujang, honey, butter and vinegar together in a bowl (it might look lumpy, but it will melt together in the pan). Pour the mixture into the pan of meatballs and cook for 4-5 mins over a medium heat, tossing to coat. 4 Arrange the lettuce cups on a serving platter, fill with the meatballs and pickled veg, then scatter over the fresh herbs. GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 1of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 263 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 5g • carbs 19g • sugars 16g • fibre 1g • protein 14g • salt 1.06g
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HELENA’S TIPS • The easiest way to sterilise a jar is to run it through a hot dishwasher cycle. Or, wash it in hot, soapy water, then dry in a 140C/120C fan/gas 1 oven for 10-15 mins. • You’ll make more pickles than needed here, but the leftovers are fantastic in salads, eaten as snacks or packed into sandwiches.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 27
HELENA’S TIP
Gnocco fritto with lemony mascarpone & pistachio pesto These fried dough pieces are a dish from the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna – I was inspired to serve them with pesto and mascarpone after trying the ‘dough cuddles’ at Brutto in Farringdon, London, where they’re served with stracchino cheese and prosciutto. SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins plus cooling and 1 hr 30 mins proving COOK 30 mins EASY V
150ml whole milk 300g ‘00’ flour 50g salted butter, softened 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 1 litre vegetable oil, plus extra for proving 75g shelled pistachios 50g basil 50g pecorino or vegetarian alternative, finely grated 1 lemon, zested and juiced 90ml olive oil 150g mascarpone
1 Warm the milk in a small pan over a low heat until just steaming, then set aside to cool slightly. 2 Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in 11/2 tsp fine sea salt. Rub in the butter until finely distributed, then stir in the yeast. Pour in the warm milk and use a spatula to combine, then turn the rough dough out onto a work surface. Knead for 5-7 mins until smooth, then shape the dough into a ball. Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to it, then cover and leave to rise in a warm spot for about 1 hr 30 mins, or until doubled in volume.
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3 Meanwhile, put the pistachios, basil, pecorino and half each of the lemon zest and juice in a food processor, and blitz to crumbs. Stream in the olive oil, pulsing as you do, until you have a pesto – keep it chunky, or blitz until smooth. Season and set aside. 4 Put the mascarpone in a bowl and beat to loosen, then add the remaining lemon zest and juice. Season lightly and set aside. 5 Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 170C (see tip). Put a wire rack on top of a large tray and set aside. Roll the dough out to a 40cm square, about 1/2cm thick. Slice the larger square into 7cm squares using a knife or pizza cutter, then fry the squares in the hot oil for 1 min, gently stirring and flipping until lightly golden and puffed up. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove to the prepared wire rack and leave to cool slightly. 6 Serve the fried dough on a large platter with the pesto and mascarpone in bowls alongside for dunking, or split the dough open and spoon the them inside to serve. PER SERVING (8) 501 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 13g • carbs 33g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 9g • salt 1.24g
My absolute favourite kitchen gadget is an instant read digital thermometer, which takes the guesswork out of whether something is cooked or not. It’s worth investing in, as it’ll tell you if the oil is too hot or too cold, ensuring your fried dough is crisp and light.
main event
HOW TO SERVE Pair the gnocco fritto with Campari soda or an Aperol spritz for aperitivo hour.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 29
Citrus & soy side of salmon with sticky rice, cucumber salad & edamame SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY
350g short-grain sticky rice (we used a Japanese sticky rice; see tip) 1kg side of salmon (see tip) 50ml light soy sauce 3 garlic cloves, finely grated 10g ginger, finely grated 2 limes, both zested, 1 juiced, plus wedges to serve 50g oyster sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp chilli flakes 30g sesame seeds 165g Greek yogurt 2 tsp sesame oil 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced using a mandoline 2 spring onions, thinly sliced into strips 10g coriander, roughly chopped 400g frozen edamame
1 Wash the rice three times in cold water, discarding the water between each rinse, then tip into a medium saucepan that has a lid. Cover with 300ml cold water, season with a little salt, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid and cook for 15 mins.
Remove from the heat and set aside with the lid still on so the rice can steam until you’re ready to serve. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 and line a large baking tray with foil. Pat the salmon dry using kitchen paper and lightly season with salt, then transfer to the prepared tray. Combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime zest and juice, the oyster sauce, sugar and chilli flakes in a small saucepan. Set over a medium heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 mins until gently bubbling and slightly thickened. Brush the glaze over the salmon using a spatula, making sure it’s well covered, then bake the salmon for 15-18 mins until just cooked through and the glaze is sticky. 3 Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a small, dry pan over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until lightly golden, stirring often so they don’t burn. Transfer to a large bowl, reserving a few to garnish. Mix in the yogurt and sesame oil, and season with salt. Toss the cucumber slices in the mixture to combine, then sprinkle over the reserved sesame seeds. 4 Put the spring onion strips in a bowl of iced water to curl up. Cook the edamame in the microwave following pack instructions, then season with a little salt. Drain the spring onions and toss with the coriander. 5 Spread the rice over a serving platter, flake the salmon on top in large chunks, then top with the spring onion and coriander salad. Serve with the yogurt dressing, edamame and lime wedges alongside. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • iron • omega-3 • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 785 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 8g • carbs 61g • sugars 12g • fibre 7g • protein 50g • salt 2.32g
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Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY | Food stylist KATIE MARSHALL | Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON
For too long, we’ve all suffered chalky, overcooked salmon – cooking it hot and fast means you’ll achieve a wonderfully sticky, charred outside and tender, flaky middle.
main event
HELENA’S TIP Use a side of trout instead of salmon, if you prefer.
HELENA’S TIP Japanese short-grain rice is often known as sushi rice, which you can buy in larger supermarkets. MAY 2026 goodfood.com 31
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Wild trout niçoise This salad is lovely as an al fresco lunch on a warm day. Trout is a great sustainable swap for salmon – not only do I prefer the flavour, but it feels like a real treat. Samuel Goldsmith SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 18 mins EASY
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400g new potatoes (about 15), halved 100g green beans, trimmed and halved 6 eggs 250g wild trout fillets 2 Little Gem lettuces, quartered 100g rocket 75g pitted black olives, halved
300g ripe tomatoes (any size), roughly chopped For the dressing 1 anchovy fillet (optional) 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil small handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 Make the dressing by mashing the anchovy fillet, if using, then combining with the rest of the ingredients, plus a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, until well mixed. Set aside. 2 Put the potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-12 mins until tender, then remove the potatoes using a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Tip the green beans into the water and simmer for 3-5 mins until the beans are tender. Remove using a slotted spoon and plunge into ice-cold water. 3 Carefully lower the eggs into the water and simmer for 6 mins before removing with a slotted spoon and plunging into the ice-cold water.
4 Put the trout fillets in the hot water and poach for about 5 mins, or until just cooked through, then remove and set aside. Peel the eggs and cut in half, then set aside. Drain the beans and set those aside, too. 5 Tip the lettuce, rocket, beans, olives, potatoes and tomatoes into a large bowl. Pour over most of the dressing, then gently toss. Tip onto a platter, then flake over the trout, arrange the egg halves on top, and drizzle over the remaining dressing. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • folate • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 466 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 5g • carbs 20g • sugars 6g • fibre 6g • protein 31g • salt 1.49g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 33
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Every penny counts these days, so we’re helping you maximise your weekly shop; whether that’s reinventing leftovers, stocking your storecupboard or learning new techniques, our aim to Cook Smart ensures delicious, low-cost meals.
Elevate everyday ingredients with Brin Pirathapan, plus Thai fakeaways and slow cooker ideas to take you from spring into summer
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 35
cook smart
tonight
Make the most of storecupboard staples like pesto and mustard in these innovative recipes recipes ANNA GLOVER photographs GEORGIA GOLD
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cook smart STORECUPBOARD STARS • • • •
Pesto Dijon mustard Chipotle paste Hoisin
Chipotle & orange roasted carrots with almond crumbs & feta yogurt SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V
£1.56 per serving
350g carrots 1 /2 orange 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 tbsp chipotle paste a few thyme sprigs 2 garlic cloves 2 flatbreads For the crumbs 3 tbsp flaked or blanched almonds 2 tbsp sunflower, pumpkin or other seeds small handful of thyme leaves For the feta yogurt 50g feta (check the label if vegetarian) 150g yogurt
1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C/gas 7 or the air fryer to 200C. Scrub the carrots, if needed, but don’t peel – trim, halve and cut into bite-sized batons. Tip the carrots onto a baking tray or into the air fryer basket. Zest and juice the orange. Add 1 tbsp oil, the orange zest, chipotle paste and thyme sprigs to the carrots. Mash the garlic using the flat side of a knife blade, then add to the tray or basket. Season and toss to coat the carrots, then roast or air-fry for 25-30 mins, tossing halfway, until tender and slightly charred in spots. 2 Meanwhile, tear or blitz a quarter of 1 flatbread into small breadcrumbs. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the crumbs for 3-4 mins until golden and crisp. Finely chop the almonds and stir these in along with the seeds and thyme, and season. Cook for 2 mins more until golden and toasted. Season again and remove from the heat. 3 For the feta yogurt, mash the feta in a bowl using a fork. Stir in the yogurt and season. Blitz using a hand blender if you prefer a smoother consistency. Cut the remaining flatbreads into triangles and warm in the air fryer or oven below the carrots for 3 mins. 4 Spoon the yogurt onto plates, then pile the carrots on top with any oil from the tray or basket. Squeeze over the orange juice, drizzle over some olive oil, then sprinkle over the crumbs. Serve with the flatbreads for scooping. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day
get the most from our meals We’ll point out any swaps If you can use things like yogurt instead of crème fraîche, chives instead of spring onions or butter beans instead of cannellini beans, we’ll let you know so you’re not buying extra ingredients. This also helps prevent food waste.
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We’ll use storecupboard staples All the recipes in this series will aim to include items that are already in your storecupboard. This means that if you cook from this series regularly, you’ll get to explore new ways to use up the rest of the ingredient, rather than having it linger in the back of your fridge until you make the same meal again.
Gadgets will be go-tos We love a gadget here at Good Food, especially if it means avoiding turning the oven on midweek. So, we’ll give you options for the air fryer and other gadgets where we can, but try to avoid anything that requires extra washing-up, like food processors, stand mixers or excessive pans, where possible.
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PER SERVING 882 kcals • fat 54g • saturates 13g • carbs 68g • sugars 21g • fibre 11g • protein 27g • salt 1.79g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 37
£3.15 per serving
Sticky chicken wings with pickled slaw & corn salad SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 45 mins EASY
600g chicken wings 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 tbsp hoisin sauce For the slaw 200g white cabbage 100g radishes 1 carrot 2 spring onions or 1/2 red onion 1 red chilli (optional) 2 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar, plus 2 tsp 1 tsp caster sugar For the corn & rice salad 200g frozen sweetcorn 200g cooked wild rice or other grains 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp soy sauce
1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/
Maple & mustard glazed pork chops with green bean & potato salad SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins plus resting COOK 20 mins EASY
250g new potatoes 2 rindless pork chops 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 tbsp maple syrup, plus 2 tsp 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, plus 2 tsp 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 small red onion handful of dill 180g green beans mixed green salad, to serve
1 Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 mins until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. 2 Heat the grill to high. Put the pork chops on a baking tray, rub with a small drizzle of oil, season and grill
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for 4-6 mins. Whisk 1 tbsp maple syrup with 2 tbsp mustard in a bowl, then season. Turn over the pork chops and spoon over the maple mustard. Grill for another 4-8 mins, depending on thickness, until cooked and the glaze is starting to brown. Rest for 5 mins. 3 Whisk the 2 tsp maple syrup and 2 tsp mustard with the red wine vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl. Finely slice the red onion and chop the dill, then whisk both into the bowl along with some seasoning. 4 Add the green beans to the pan of potatoes for the last 3-4 mins of cooking until tender. Drain well, then tip the potatoes and beans into the bowl of dressing and toss a few times to coat. Serve with the pork chops and a green salad. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 549 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 5g • carbs 42g • sugars 23g • fibre 6g • protein 43g • salt 1.25g
gas 7. Toss the chicken wings with the oil and some seasoning on a shallow baking tray. Roast for 35-40 mins until golden and crisp. 2 Meanwhile, for the slaw, finely shred the cabbage, radishes, carrot, 1 spring onion and the chilli, if using. Tip all the veg into a large bowl and mix in 2 tbsp vinegar, the sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Toss well to coat, massaging the dressing into the cabbage to soften. 3 For the rice salad, microwave the sweetcorn in a heatproof bowl for 3 mins until hot. Cook the grains following pack instructions. Finely chop the remaining spring onion. Combine the corn, rice and spring onion with the sesame oil, soy sauce and 2 tsp vinegar. 4 Drain any excess oil from the tray with the wings, then toss the wings in the hoisin sauce and bake for another 5-10 mins until sticky. Serve with the slaw and salad. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 4 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 798 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 8g • carbs 69g • sugars 27g • fibre 13g • protein 45g • salt 2.01g
cook smart
£2 per serving
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 39
cook smart
Loaded ricotta griddled toasts SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V
2 eggs bunch of asparagus 1 /2 lemon 10g parmesan or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese 150g ricotta a few tarragon sprigs 1 tbsp olive oil 2 slices sourdough 2 handfuls of watercress
1 Cook the eggs in a pan of simmering water for 6 mins if at room temperature, or 8 mins if fridge-cold. Rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process, then set aside. 2 Trim off the woody ends from the asparagus, then steam using a tiered steamer or colander set over the pan you used to cook the eggs for 4-6 mins until tender. 3 Zest and juice the lemon half, then tip the zest into a bowl. Grate in the parmesan, then mix in the ricotta. Pick the leaves from the tarragon and finely chop, then stir this into the ricotta mixture along with some seasoning. 4 Whisk the oil, lemon juice and some seasoning together in a separate bowl. Toss the steamed asparagus spears in the dressing, then set aside while you peel and halve the boiled eggs. 5 Toast the bread, then spread with the ricotta mixture. Toss the watercress with the asparagus, and pile onto the toasts. Top with the eggs and spoon over the remaining dressing. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 477 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 9g • carbs 38g • sugars 5g • fibre 5g • protein 28g • salt 1.56g
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£1.97 per serving
cook smart
SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins EASY
180g long-stemmed broccoli 2 tbsp olive oil 2 pieces sustainable white fish (we used sea bass) 2 tbsp pesto 1 /2 lemon, plus wedges to serve 4 tbsp panko or dried breadcrumbs chunky chips, wedges or new potatoes and a green salad, to serve
1 Heat the grill to medium-high or the air fryer to 200C. Toss
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the broccoli with 1 tbsp oil on a medium baking tray or in the air fryer basket. Season, then grill or air-fry for 6-8 mins. 2 Meanwhile, pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and season with salt. Spread 1 tbsp pesto over each fillet, pushing it to the edges using the back of a spoon. Zest and juice the lemon half, then sprinkle the zest over the fish. Press the panko into the pesto coating, then nestle the fish between the broccoli on the tray or in the air fryer basket (or put in another basket if you have two drawers in your air fryer). Drizzle over the remaining oil and cook for 5-10 mins, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the flesh is flaky when pressed, the
crust is golden and crisp and the broccoli golden, crispy and slightly charred at the edges. 3 Squeeze the lemon half over the broccoli, then serve the fish with the broccoli, chips, wedges or new potatoes, a green salad and extra lemon wedges for squeezing over. GOOD TO KNOW folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 429 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 4g • carbs 25g • sugars 3g • fibre 5g • protein 26g • salt 0.94g
Browse the Good Food app for fresh ideas and even more ways to cook with the ingredients used here if you have some left over.
Stylist VIVI GARCIA
Panko-crumbed fish with charred crispy broccoli
Shoot director FREDDIE DIE STE STEWART EW | Food stylist JESSICA MARIGLIANO-BARRY
Shoot director FREDDIE STEWART | Food stylist JESSICA MARIGLIANO-BARRY | Stylist VIVI GARCIAA
£4.06 per serving
monday mash-up
Chicken parm alla vodka We’ve merged two Italian-American classics to create what’s sure to be a new family favourite recipe BARNEY DESMAZERY photograph MAJA SMEND
There is a little work involved, but the chicken and sauce can be made ahead. You can use pork or turkey steaks, if you prefer. SERVES 4 PREP 40 mins COOK 35 mins EASY ❄ chicken parm only
400g spaghetti handful of basil leaves, to serve For the chicken 2 large, skinless chicken breasts 50g plain flour 1 egg, beaten 75g breadcrumbs 15g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve sunflower oil, for frying 125g ball mozzarella, cut into 4 slices For the sauce 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated 1 /4 tsp chilli flakes 2 tbsp tomato purée 5 tbsp vodka 400g passata 1 tsp dried oregano pinch of caster sugar splash of red wine vinegar 100ml double cream
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1 Cut the chicken in half lengthways into four thin fillets, and lay on a board. Cover with baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Tip the flour into a shallow dish and season well. Tip the egg into another dish and the breadcrumbs into a third, and mix in the parmesan. Coat each fillet in the flour, dip into the egg, then press into the cheesy breadcrumbs until well covered. Keep the chicken chilled while you make the sauce. Will keep chilled for 24 hrs. 2 To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Stir in the onion and a big pinch of salt, and cook for 8-10 mins until soft. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato purée and cook for 2 mins until slightly darkened. Pour in the vodka and bubble for 3 mins, then stir in the passata, oregano, sugar and a splash of red wine vinegar. Season, then simmer for 10-12 mins until thick and rich. Turn the heat down to low and stir through the cream to make a blush-pink sauce. Remove the pan from the heat.
3 Heat a little sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the chicken for 3 mins each side until deeply golden and crisp (you may need to do this in batches). Transfer the chicken to a baking tray. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water following pack instructions. Reserve a mugful of the water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pan. 4 Meanwhile, spoon a couple of spoonfuls of sauce over the middle of each chicken fillet, then put a slice of mozzarella on top. Heat the grill to high and grill for 3-4 mins until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Add the remaining sauce to the pasta and toss well over a very low heat, loosening with a splash of the reserved cooking water until glossy and saucy. Divide the pasta between plates, add the chicken parm, then finish with extra parmesan and the basil scattered over, plus plenty of black pepper. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 968 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 15g • carbs 106g • sugars 10g • fibre 7g • protein 49g • salt 0.88g
cook smart
• Make-ahead You can crumb the chicken up to 24 hrs ahead, then cover and keep chilled. It will also keep frozen, stacked between baking parchment for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then fry as per the recipe (it may need an extra minute per side). The vodka sauce can be made up to two days ahead and chilled. Reheat gently, then stir in a splash of water (or pasta cooking water) to loosen. • Chicken portions We’ve stretched two chicken breasts to serve four, but if yours are small or you’re feeding big appetites, use four breasts. If you do this, you’ll need to increase the amount of breadcrumbs to 150g. • Air fryer For the crispiest results, we’ve pan-fried our chicken, but it could also be air-fried. Heat the air fryer to 200C, mist the chicken with oil and cook for 15-20 mins, turning halfway through, until crisp, deep golden and cooked through.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 45
Shoot director LAURIE NEWMAN | Food stylist SEIKO HATFIELD | Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON
Barney’s tips
Summer with your
slow cooker Not just for cold nights, the right bit of kit can make family dinners a breeze when you’d rather be enjoying the sunshine recipes SAMUEL GOLDSMITH photographs GEORGIA GOLD
46 goodfood.com MAY 2026
cook smart
Slow cooker buffalo chicken Ideal for enjoying in the garden, this slow-cooked pulled chicken is a lovely blend of sweet and spicy – or ‘swicy’, if you’re following the 2026 trend! It works great as a filling in a wrap or salad, too. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 3-4 hrs EASY
200ml hot sauce 1 tsp garlic granules 2 tsp onion granules 1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 bay leaves 25g butter burger buns, salad and/or slaw, to serve
1 Pour the hot sauce into the slow cooker, then mix in the garlic and onion granules. Nestle the chicken thighs in the sauce, then tuck in the bay leaves and dot over the butter. 2 Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 3-4 hrs until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove the thighs to a chopping board and shred the meat using two forks. Return to the sauce and mix well. Remove the bay leaves, then pile the chicken and sauce into burger buns, along with salad and crunchy slaw, if you like. PER SERVING 202 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 4g • carbs 1g • sugars 0.3g • fibre 0.1g • protein 25g • salt 1.15g
Sam’s tip If you feel like the sauce is too thin, reduce it on the hob in a pan over a medium heat while you’re shredding the chicken. Bear in mind that some of the sauce will be absorbed by the shredded chicken.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 47
cook smart Slow cooker 12-plant minestrone This is a great way to increase your weekly plant intake. In theory, this could even achieve closer to 14 plant points, if you add different seeds and the can of mixed beans is made up of four different types. SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins COOK 3-4 hrs EASY V
1 onion, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 courgette, grated 5g parsley, leaves and stalks separated, both finely chopped 400g can mixed beans 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 litre hot vegetable stock 2 tsp garlic granules 1 tbsp dried oregano 2 bay leaves 150g wholemeal spaghetti, broken into small pieces 100g kale or cavolo nero, tough stalks removed, leaves sliced 150g frozen peas 2 tbsp olive oil handful of seeds, such as pumpkin and sesame seeds (optional) crusty bread rolls, to serve (optional) 1 Tip the onion, celery and carrot into a slow cooker (it should have at least 3.5-litre capacity – halve the recipe for a smaller model). Stir in the courgette and parsley stalks. Tip in the beans along with their liquid, the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée, then mix to combine. Add the stock, garlic granules, oregano and bay leaves. Mix, then cook on high for 3-4 hrs until the veg is tender and cooked. 2 Add the spaghetti 20 mins before the end of the cooking time, then add the kale and frozen peas 10 mins later. Continue to cook until the spaghetti and peas are tender. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle over the parsley leaves and seeds, if using. Serve with crusty bread rolls, if you like. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low fat • low cal • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (8) 189 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 1g • carbs 23g • sugars 6g • fibre 9g • protein 11g • salt 0.77g
48 goodfood.com MAY 2026
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Sam’s tip Slow cooker bean chilli Fill your diet with protein by getting more beans in. It’s also a low-cost way to stretch a batch of chilli. SERVES 6-8 PREP 20 mins COOK 3-4 hrs EASY V
1 onion, finely chopped 2 peppers (a mix of colours works well), chopped 400g can red kidney beans 400g can black beans 400g can pinto beans 2 tsp chilli powder
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1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic granules 1 tsp ground cumin 1 /2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp dried mixed herbs 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes few coriander leaves, to serve 1 Tip the onion and peppers into the slow cooker. Pour in all the beans and their liquid, then mix in the chilli powder, ground spices and dried herbs. Tip in the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes, then mix.
2 Cook on high for 3-4 hrs, or until the onion and peppers have softened and the sauce has thickened. Sprinkle over some coriander leaves to serve. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low fat • low cal • fibre • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (8) 145 kcals • fat 1g • saturates 0.2g • carbs 20g • sugars 7g • fibre 10g • protein 9g • salt 0.11g
There’s no need to pre-cook veg when using a slow cooker; however, you’ll get a more developed flavour if you fry certain veg first (such as onions, carrots, courgette, celery and peppers) in 1 tsp oil until softened. You can then continue with the recipe as stated.
Shoot director FREDDIE STEWART | Food stylist JESSICA MARIGLIANO-BARRY | Stylist VIVI GARCIA
cook smart
Upgrade sale your BBQ on21 May
June issue
Charred watermelon, feta & mint salad
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Seasonal pasta salads
Bakes for the summer fête
Si King’s favourite dish
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MAY 2026 goodfood.com 51
Maximise
the
flavour
Elevate everyday ingredients to make something special with Brin Pirathapan’s bold, inventive dishes and clever tips and tricks photographs DAN JONES 52 goodfood.com MAY 2026
cook smart
Amma’s aubergine poriyal Everyone in my family knows that my mum’s fried aubergine is THE best aubergine dish around. Mum kindly passed on the recipe to me, but there’s an element of intuition that can’t be written down, which makes me certain that none of us will ever be able to live up to her famous dish, but we sure can try. SERVES 4-6 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V
vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep-frying 3 aubergines, cut into 1 cm cubes (see tip) 6 garlic cloves, 3 peeled and left whole, 3 grated 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cinnamon stick 3 dried red chillies (optional) 11/2 red onions, finely diced 10-15 curry leaves (fresh, if available) 2.5cm piece of ginger, grated 1 /2 tsp hot chilli powder (or more, if you like it spicy) 3 tomatoes, diced
1 Heat enough vegetable or sunflower oil in a deep-fat fryer (if you have one) or heavy-based saucepan (don’t fill the pan more than two-thirds full) to 180C (or until a small piece of bread browns in 30 seconds).
2 Add the aubergine cubes to the hot oil in batches, then remove (using a slotted spoon) when the flesh turns a deep golden brown colour and the skin is shiny. Transfer them to lots of kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil while you deep-fry the remaining batches. 3 When the aubergine is cooked, turn off the heat, add the whole garlic cloves to the hot oil and leave to soften and colour for 5 mins, then add to the cooked aubergine. 4 Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok over a medium-high heat, then once it’s hot, add the cinnamon stick and whole dried red chillies, if using. After about 30 seconds, add the red onions and curry leaves. Give it all a decent mix and cook for a couple of minutes. 5 Add the grated garlic and ginger along with the chilli powder and tomatoes. Mix everything together, then add the fried aubergine cubes and whole garlic cloves. Give it a good stir and pop a lid on, then let that cook over a medium heat for about 15 mins, stirring every 5 mins. Plate up and enjoy! GOOD TO KNOW vegan • fibre • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (6) 462 kcals • fat 45g • saturates 6g • carbs 8g • sugars 7g • fibre 6g • protein 3g • salt 0.04g
Brin Pirathapan is best known as MasterChef champion 2024. Formerly a veterinary surgeon, Brin is now a food writer, content creator and private chef, with many exciting events in the pipeline. @brin.pirathapan
Brin’s tip If you sprinkle the aubergine cubes with salt to draw out a bit of moisture before frying, it can really enhance the flavour, but this is up to you. If you want to give it a try, sprinkle the aubergine cubes with salt and mix them thoroughly. Lay them out on clean tea towels or kitchen paper, and leave them to sit for about 30 minutes. Mix them around a few times during this time. Pat dry before you fry them. MAY 2026 goodfood.com 53
Courgette crunch Courgettes always seem to be the bridesmaid and never the bride, but this recipe finally gives them the chance to be the main event. The slight char adds depth and excitement to the courgettes, and this salad is bursting full of fresh ingredients. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins MORE EFFORT V
200g sourdough (preferably stale), cut into cubes 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 3 courgettes 360g asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 4-5cm pieces 1 lemon, zested 200g feta or vegetarian alternative 20g mint leaves 50g shelled pistachios For the hot dressing 1 lemon, juiced 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp olive oil 1 /2 tsp chilli flakes
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the bread cubes in a roasting tin. Drizzle over a healthy glug of olive oil, toss to coat, then roast for about 20 mins until crispy, turning halfway through. Set aside. 2 Meanwhile, cut the courgettes using the cut-and-roll technique (see below). 3 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Put the courgettes, flesh-side down, in the pan (in two batches if needed) and cook until slightly coloured/charred, then turn over. Season both sides of the courgettes as they cook. Once both sides are coloured, about 8 mins altogether, add to a large mixing bowl. 4 Add the remaining olive oil to the same frying pan along with the asparagus and cook over a high heat until slightly charred and a more vibrant green colour. This will take 4–5 mins. Add these to the mixing bowl as well. 5 Add the lemon zest to the bowl, then crumble in the feta as well. Chiffonade (see below) the mint leaves and add to the bowl. 6 Add the pistachios to a small, dry frying pan and toast over a
medium heat for 3 mins, moving them around every minute. When done, roughly chop into small pieces (about half their size). 7 Make the hot dressing. Tip all the ingredients into a small saucepan over a medium heat and allow the mixture to boil for a minute, then take it off the heat. 8 Add the sourdough croutons to the veg bowl along with the toasted pistachios. Cover everything in the hot dressing, then mix it all together and serve. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 510 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 9g • carbs 44g • sugars 14g • fibre 7g • protein 22g • salt 2.16g
Prep like a pro Cut & roll
Chiffonade
This is a great technique to give your vegetables more shape and character. No one wants to always eat a circular disc of carrot – it’s just not appealing, but this method gives you interesting shapes that look enticing and hold a bit more structure when cooked.
This is the technique used to create tiny little ribbons of fresh herbs that can be sprinkled over or throughout dishes.
1 Prep your vegetable if needed, i.e. peel a carrot. 2 Put the long vegetable on your board and put the knife at an angle, a couple of centimetres from the tip. Make a cut, then roll the vegetable about 90 degrees but keep the knife at the same angle. Cut again. Repeat this process until you reach the end. 3 You’ll be left with a variety of pieces, no two the same shape but roughly in a pyramid-like shape.
54 goodfood.com MAY 2026
1 Start by picking individual leaves (this works especially well for herbs like basil and mint). 2 Stack them on top of each other as neatly as you can so you have a pile of about 10 leaves. 3 Starting on one side, roll the stack of leaves into a tight scroll. 4 Hold together with your non-dominant hand, just as you would hold anything you were about to slice. 5 Using a rocking motion with your knife, cut slithers of the scroll, about 1mm thick. Keep the fingers of your non-dominant hand in a claw position and use your knuckles as a point to glide the knife’s body along to give stability and prevent you from cutting your fingers.
cook smart
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 55
Korean chicken & rice I think we all need a few one-tray wonders in our back pocket, for those tough days when cooking is the last thing you can muster up the energy for. I love using East Asian flavours to elevate simple, cheap ingredients like chicken and rice. From heat to sweetness and acid to umami, they bring in all the flavour profiles to make simple food utterly scrumptious. SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins plus at least 2 hrs marinating COOK 40 mins EASY
80ml soy sauce 3 tbsp gochujang 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp honey 1 kg skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs 2 tsp sesame oil 4 spring onions, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 400g basmati rice, washed and drained 200g long-stem broccoli, stems chopped into small pieces, florets reserved separately 2 red peppers, deseeded and diced To serve 1 tbsp sesame seeds sriracha, for drizzling (optional) kewpie mayonnaise, for drizzling (optional)
1 Combine the soy sauce, gochujang, rice wine vinegar and
Recipes extracted from Elevate: Everyday Ingredients, Incredible Flavours by Brin Pirathapan (£22, Pavilion). Photographs by Dan Jones.
56 goodfood.com MAY 2026
honey in a large bowl and mix well, then stir in the chicken thighs to coat them in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if possible. 2 Add the sesame oil to a large heatproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat, then add 3 of the spring onions and the garlic. Season with a sprinkle of salt. Once they start to colour and become fragrant, about 4 mins, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. 3 Turn the thighs after about 5 mins (not letting the skin burn) and let them cook for a few minutes on the other side before transferring back to the marinade in the bowl. 4 Add the rice, broccoli stems and red peppers to the dish. Mix everything together well, then add 800ml water. Put the chicken thighs on top and brush or pour the remaining marinade over each. 5 Cover and bring to the boil over a high heat, then turn down to low and cook for 10 mins until the rice is just cooked. 6 Uncover, sprinkle over the broccoli florets, cover again and cook on low for a final 5 mins. 7 Sprinkle over the remaining spring onion, the sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha and kewpie mayonnaise if you like, then serve. GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 559 kcals • fat 20 • saturates 5g • carbs 62g • sugars 11g • fibre 4g • protein 30g • salt 2.44g
cook smart
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 57
3 ways
with honey Use up that jar in the cupboard in sweet and savoury dishes recipes HELENA BUSIAKIEWICZ photographs NASSIMA ROTHACKER
58 goodfood.com MAY 2026
cook smart Honey-butter toast This is a take on the viral trend that started at Arôme Bakery in London. It’s quick, but feels special served for brunch or breakfast with friends. SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V
4 tbsp salted butter, softened 11/2 tbsp set honey 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar 250g challah bread, cut into 3-4cm thick slices plain yogurt and berries, to serve
1 Heat the grill to high. Beat the butter with the honey, sugar and a small pinch of salt in a small bowl to create a smooth paste. 2 Spread this over the bread slices, all the way to the corners, then put on a foil-lined baking tray and grill for 4-5 mins, or until golden and bubbling. Flip and cook for another 3-4 mins. Cool fully on a wire rack. 3 Top with yogurt and berries, or serve with coffee for dunking. PER SERVING 344 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 8g • carbs 43g • sugars 16g • fibre 2g • protein 6g • salt 0.84g
Honey & lime ice cream SERVES 8-10 PREP 15 mins plus 5-6 hrs freezing NO COOK EASY V ❄
600ml double cream 345g can condensed milk 2 tbsp set honey, plus extra to serve 1 lime, zested and juiced toasted nuts of your choice, to serve (optional)
1 Beat the cream, milk, honey and the lime zest in a large bowl using an electric whisk until the mixture holds its shape. Scrape into a freezerproof container, cover and freeze for 5-6 hrs or overnight. 2 Serve drizzled with a little more honey and scatter with toasted nuts (whatever you have in the cupboard), if you like. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING (10) 417 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 22g • carbs 23g • sugars 23g • fibre none • protein 4g • salt 0.11g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 59
cook smart
Honey-glazed chicken Save money on a weekend takeaway and try this instead. Use just half the chilli if you prefer less heat. SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY
400g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp vegetable oil 5 tbsp light soy sauce 5 tbsp honey 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 spring onion, sliced, green and white parts separated
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20g ginger, grated 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 red chilli, sliced cooked jasmine rice and sesame seeds (optional), to serve
1 Put the chicken in a medium bowl and scatter over the cornflour and plenty of salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat and cook the chicken for 6-7 mins, stirring often until crispy and golden all over. 2 Meanwhile, combine the soy, honey and vinegar in a small bowl. 3 When the chicken is nearly cooked through, stir in the spring
onion whites, ginger, garlic and chilli. Mix well to combine, and cook for 1-2 mins more or until fragrant. Pour in the honey sauce. Mix well to coat, letting it bubble for a few minutes and stirring continuously until the chicken is glossy. 4 Serve the glazed chicken over cooked jasmine rice, scattered with the spring onion greens and some sesame seeds, if you like. GOOD TO KNOW vit c PER SERVING 658 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 5g • carbs 68g • sugars 51g • fibre 1g • protein 47g • salt 5.56g
HOLIDAYS
Stay in one of Rick Stein’s luxury shepherd’s huts near Padstow Enjoy a peaceful two-night break by the sea, surrounded by woodland and nestled in the grounds of The Cornish Arms Stays from 3 April-31 October 2026 Perfect for a cosy couple of nights by the sea, these huts offer a tranquil countryside escape – especially out of season – within easy reach of some of Cornwall’s best restaurants, beaches and coastal walks. Each shepherd’s hut has a bright living and dining area, en-suite shower room, kitchenette and private patio. With underfloor heating and cosy double bed plus crisp linen, you can be certain of a snug night’s sleep. As you’d expect from a Rick Stein getaway, food will be at the heart of your stay – this offer includes breakfast in The Cornish Arms, plus a complimentary bottle of Château Bauduc rosé wine on arrival. You’ll also be treated to a three-course dinner at The Cornish Arms, where you can enjoy British pub classics like fish & chips, curries and burgers. While in Cornwall, take time to appreciate the golden beaches nearby. You’ll be just five minutes from some of the county’s best beaches, including Harlyn and Constantine, so you can enjoy a dip or watch the surfers. Your stay also includes a beach picnic from Stein’s Deli.
From
£292.50 per person*
What’s included ● Two-night stay in a luxury shepherd’s hut
(for two people) with private parking ● A three-course à la carte dinner for two on one night
at The Cornish Arms (a one-minute walk from the huts) ● A bottle of Château Bauduc rosé waiting for you
in the hut on arrival ● A signed copy of Rick Stein’s Food Stories ● Breakfast in The Cornish Arms on both mornings ● A beach picnic from Stein’s Deli
TO BOOK Call 0330 162 3251 and quote GOOD FOOD OR, FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT gf.tripsmiths.com/stein TERMS & CONDITIONS *Price is per person, based on two people sharing a room for a two-night stay, subject to availability. Valid Wed-Sun 3 April to 31 October 2026. Blackout dates may apply. Single occupancy is available at a reduction of £21 per night. Price and itinerary correct at time of printing but may be subject to change. Full payment is taken 21 days prior to arrival. 14 days’ notice prior to arrival is required in the event of a date amendment or cancellation. Travel insurance is not included and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Offer is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Seafood Trading Ltd.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 61
Thai in no time Don’t reach for that delivery app – save money and discover how quick and simple it is to cook takeaway classics at home
Shoot director XXXXXXXXXX | Food stylist XXXXXXXXXX | Stylist XXXXXXXXXX
recipes DOMINIQUE WOOLF photographs DAN JONES
62 goodfood.com MAY 2026
cook smart
Chicken satay curry Love satay chicken skewers? This creamy, peanut-packed curry brings all those flavours into a comforting dinner. SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY
1 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tsp ginger, grated 2 tbsp mild or medium curry powder 2 tsp ground turmeric 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 400ml coconut milk 8 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter 2 tbsp sriracha 2 tsp fish sauce, plus extra if needed 1 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra if needed 1 lemongrass stalk 150g green beans, halved 1 red pepper, thinly sliced 50g salted or roasted peanuts, roughly chopped coriander leaves, rice and lime wedges, to serve
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion with a good pinch of salt for about 5 mins until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 mins. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric, and stir-fry for another minute or so. Tip in the chicken, turn to coat in the spicy mixture and cook for 3-4 mins until lightly browned all over. 2 Pour the coconut milk and 200ml water into the pan along with the peanut butter, sriracha, fish sauce and sugar. Stir to combine. Remove any woody outer leaves of the lemongrass and bash with the end of a rolling pin. Cut in half and add to the curry. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked. 3 Tip in the green beans and red pepper and simmer for 4-5 mins until just cooked. Taste and add extra sugar, fish sauce or salt if needed. Remove the lemongrass. 4 Stir through most of the peanuts, then top with the coriander and remaining peanuts. Serve with rice and lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.
Dominique Woolf was taught how to cook by her Thai mother and auntie. She won The Great British Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver on Channel 4, and has a Thai chilli oils and pastes brand, Woolf’s Kitchen. @dominiquewoolf
GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 480 kcals • fat 34g • saturates 15g • carbs 15g • sugars 10g • fibre 5g • protein 26g • salt 1g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 63
cook smart
Drunken noodles (pad kee mao) Spicy, savoury and full of punch, Thai ‘drunken noodles’ are the ultimate fast food and ready in just 20 minutes. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY
200g flat rice noodles (choose wide noodles, if possible) 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped 225g sirloin steak, thinly sliced
64 goodfood.com MAY 2026
100g long-stem broccoli, cut into 3-4cm pieces large handful of Thai basil leaves For the sauce 3½ tbsp light soy sauce 3½ tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tbsp sugar
1 Prepare the noodles following pack instructions, then drain and set aside. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or jug and set aside. 2 Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over a high heat and stir-fry the garlic and chillies for
20 seconds until just starting to turn golden. Add the steak and stir-fry for 1 min until seared and starting to brown. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for another minute, then tip in the noodles and the sauce. Stir-fry for another 1-2 mins until well combined and piping hot. 3 Stir through the basil and turn off the heat. Serve straightaway. GOOD TO KNOW vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 757 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 6g • carbs 101g • sugars 16g • fibre 4g • protein 33g • salt 7.6g
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EVERYTHING
16-page special
yOu NEED TO KNOW aBOUT BRAIN HEALTH F
rom ‘brain fog’ to difficulty focusing, depression to anxiety, more of us seem to be struggling with mental health and performance. Added to that, the risk of dementia increases as we age, with approaching a million people over 65 in the UK estimated to be living with the condition. Happily, many of the best ways to tackle all these brain health
challenges overlap – and diet is key. Over the next few pages, find out what you could be eating and doing in order to give your brain a boost. And, follow us on social media @GoodHealthByGoodFood for more expert tips.
EmmA HaRtfiElD, hEaLtH EdItOr
What is brain health? (p68) 10 brain-boosting tips (p70) Star ingredients (p79) Breaking bad habits (p80)
Mindful recipes (p72) Pick a pathway (p82) MAY 2026 goodfood.com 67
What is Meet our experts ISSIE KEELING, DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR Issie looks after all health content for Good Food and our sister title, olive
KERRY TORRENS, REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST Kerry has a postgraduate diploma in personalised nutrition
MELISSA KUMAN, SOCIAL MEDIA CREATOR Melissa is also a registered nutritionist posting for @GoodHealth ByGoodFood
Follow us on social media @GoodHealthBy GoodFood for health advice that actually works 68 goodfood.com MAY 2026
BRAIN
I
t’s 3pm. You’ve read the same email twice but still can’t quite take it in, then you’ve walked into the kitchen but forgotten why. Nothing dramatic, just that frustrating sense your brain isn’t playing along today. Lapses like this are common, but do they sit on the same part of the brain health spectrum as longer-term worries about memory?
The subject of brain health covers everything from how well your brain can do its key jobs – thinking, learning, remembering, concentrating, understanding language and making decisions – to how supported you feel by your mood, energy and mental clarity. It’s a complicated topic, though: common ‘ailments’, such as brain fog, are typically understood as a range of symptoms rather than a specific medical condition, and can have many causes, from stress or menopause to nutritional deficiency, illness or the side effects of medication.
A Mediterranean diet is associated with a 23 per cent lower risk of dementia
How can diet help? The important thing is your overall dietary pattern, rather than a focus on so-called ‘super-nutrients’. Mediterranean-style diets in particular are recommended; they contain plenty of fruit, veg, wholegrains and pulses, healthy fats (oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil), some dairy products, poultry and eggs, as well as minimal red meat, butter, sugar and processed food. A UK study of 60,000 people found that a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 23 per cent lower dementia risk, and the World Health Organisation recommends it to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. A variation, called the Mediterranean Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, is associated with substantially lower Alzheimer’s risk. There are also foods and habits that can have a negative effect. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and diets high in saturated fat, sugar and salt contribute to conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity and raised LDL cholesterol, which are linked to higher dementia risk.
=
N HEALTH and why does it matter?
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pillars of a healthy brain
lIfestyle Dementia isn’t an inevitable part of ageing – lifestyle is believed to be more influential than genetics. Being sociable and eating healthily are key.
gut health Scientists often talk about the ‘gut-brain axis’, as the two are strongly connected. A gut microbiome with plenty of ‘good’ bacteria can help mental health and performance.
sleep hydration Concentration relies on the basics, like having enough water and energy. One reason we can struggle to focus is that we’re dehydrated or haven’t eaten for a long time.
Getting enough rest at night is important to keep us energised throughout the day, but it’s also key for brain function. Sleep improves the brain’s ability to adapt, helps us learn better, processes memories and supports cognition.
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10 tips
to boost brain power: your weekly toolkit You don’t need to take on all of these at once – try using them like building blocks, picking a few to focus on this week, then rotating.
1
Move daily, even in sMall chunks
2
Why it matters Moderate exercise is beneficial for mental wellbeing, including stress and aspects of brain function. Observational research tracking people over time also suggests a link between lower fitness and higher levels of depression and anxiety. What’s more, research in schoolchildren suggests a positive association between physical activity, brain function and academic achievement. Try it this week Choose one ‘default move’ you can repeat (for example, a short walk) and do it at the same time each day to make it habitual.
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train your brain
Why it matters Mental exercise (such as doing puzzles or learning a new language) is associated with improvements in working memory and ‘executive’ or high-level cognitive functions. This supports the idea that practice and learning matter, even if no single activity guarantees protection from decline. Try it this week Pick a small learning goal (a few phrases of a language, new cooking technique or short skills video) and practice for a few minutes on three days in a week.
strength work & cardio
Why it matters While exercise is linked with better mood and cognitive benefits, there is growing evidence that strength training can be as effective as aerobic exercise for easing depression. Try it this week Do two brief sessions using bodyweight movements (for example, sit-to-stands and wall push-ups), keeping it comfortable and controlled.
4
iMprove sleep quality Why it matters Poor sleep affects mental performance and is also linked with mental health issues. Studies suggest exercise can improve sleep efficiency and quality, but intense exercise too close to bedtime may be unhelpful for some people. Try it this week Ensure you’re following the basics of sleep hygiene for a good night’s rest, including setting a simple ‘winddown boundary’: avoid intense exercise near bedtime and use gentler movement (such as walking or yoga) later in the day..
7
stabilise energy with regular, balanced meals
Why it matters The brain needs fuel – carbohydrates from wholegrains, starchy vegetables, fruit and similar foods provide glucose, which is used for energy. Eating regularly may help stabilise blood sugar and support mental clarity – including protein at meals also provides amino acids, needed for growth and development. Try it this week Add a protein source to breakfast (for example, milk, yogurt, eggs or beans), alongside wholegrains or fruit.
5
eat Mediterranean-style Why it matters Research shows that the Mediterranean diet has benefits for brain health. Meals that are high in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and healthier oils and fats are believed to help slow cognitive decline and lower the risk of cognitive impairment. Try it this week Build one meal a day around plants first (veg, beans, pluses and wholegrains), then add a source of healthier fat (such as nuts, seeds or oily fish).
8
hydrate for clearer thinking
Why it matters Even slight drops in hydration are linked with headaches, fatigue and poor concentration. If you only drink when thirsty, you’re already dehydrated, and your focus may be suffering. Try it this week Keep hydration regular by anchoring your fluid intake to an existing habit – for example, a drink with every meal or snack.
10
6
support gut health with fermented foods
Why it matters The connection between the gut and central nervous system is known as the gut-brain axis, and there’s evidence that symptoms of anxiety and depression may be improved by certain strains of probiotic bacteria, commonly found in fermented foods. Try it this week Add one fermented food, such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut, to your diet.
9
use caffeine strategically
Why it matters Caffeine in small doses can be performanceenhancing, delaying tiredness and increasing alertness. However, it may be problematic for people who have trouble sleeping, so the same approach will not suit everyone. Try it this week If you drink caffeine, test a sleep-friendly tweak: keep it to earlier in the day or reduce the amount, and see whether your sleep and focus improve the next day.
build connection into your day
Why it matters Strong social connection is associated with a reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia, as well as less stress. Try it this week Plan a social activity (walk, try a new class or have dinner with a friend).
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mindful recipes
Plant-first meals with a balance of healthy fats and wholegrains have been associated with helping to keep the brain healthy
Chicken & avocado salad with blueberry balsamic dressing Blueberries have been found to reduce short-term memory loss. High in anti-inflammatory nutrients, they help counter health issues like depression and Alzheimer’s that are linked to chronic inflammation. SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 5 mins EASY
85g blueberries 1 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 125g fresh or frozen baby broad beans 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 large cooked beetroot, finely chopped 1 avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced 85g mixed baby leaf salad 175g cooked chicken, chopped
1 Mash half the blueberries with the oil, vinegar and some black pepper in a large salad bowl. Boil the beans for 5 mins until just tender. Drain. 2 Stir the garlic into the dressing, then pile in the beans and remaining blueberries, the beetroot, avocado, salad and chicken. Toss gently before serving. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • fibre • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 402 kcals • fat 19g • saturates 3g • carbs 18g • sugars 10g • fibre 10g • protein 34g • salt 0.3g
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Spaghetti with spinach & walnut pesto Walnuts are rich in healthy fats and vitamin E, believed to help protect against cognitive decline. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V
1 garlic clove, crushed 50g walnuts, roughly chopped small bunch of mint, roughly chopped small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped 1 lemon, zested and juiced 350g wholemeal spaghetti 50g raisins 100g baby spinach leaves
1 Blitz the garlic, walnuts, herbs and the lemon zest and juice with seasoning in a food processor until finely chopped. 2 Cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Return to the pan and stir in the pesto, raisins and spinach with a splash of the reserved water. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low fat • fibre • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 414 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 1g • carbs 68g • sugars 13g • fibre 9g • protein 15g • salt 0.4g
Turkish one-pan eggs & peppers Eating one egg a day has been found to support brain health, thanks to a combination of nutrients – including choline, protein, healthy fats and B vitamins – that support neurotransmitter function and healthy brain ageing.
1-2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 1-2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste 4 eggs 6 tbsp thick, creamy yogurt 2 garlic cloves, crushed small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
1 Heat the oil in a lidded frying SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V
2 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, sliced 1 red or green pepper, halved, deseeded and sliced
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pan over a medium heat and cook the onions, pepper and chillies until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and sugar, mixing well. Cook until reduced, and season. 2 Reduce the heat to low. Create four gaps in the tomato mixture using a
wooden spoon, and crack the eggs into them. Cover with the lid and continue to cook until the eggs are just set. 3 Beat the yogurt with the garlic, and season. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve from the frying pan with a dollop of garlic yogurt. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 222 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 4g • carbs 12g • sugars 9g • fibre 3g • protein 12g • salt 0.4g
Summer egg salad with basil & peas As well as nutrient-dense eggs, the variety of plant foods here will help support your gut health, and therefore your brain. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 12 mins EASY V
150g new potatoes, thickly sliced 160g French beans, trimmed 160g frozen peas 3 eggs 160g Romaine lettuce, roughly torn into pieces For the dressing 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp cider vinegar 1 /2 tsp English mustard powder 2 tbsp chopped mint 3 tbsp chopped basil 1 garlic clove, finely grated 1 tbsp capers
Sardines with chickpeas, lemon & parsley The essential fatty acids found in oily fish have been linked with improvements in depression, risk of dementia and reduced memory loss.
1 Cook the potatoes in a pan of
SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY
simmering water for 5 mins. Add the beans and cook 5 mins more, then tip in the peas and cook for 2 mins until all the veg is just tender. Meanwhile, boil the eggs in another pan for 8 mins. Drain, rinse under cold water, then peel and halve. 2 Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl with a good grinding of black pepper, crushing the herbs and capers using a spoon. 3 Coat the veg in the dressing, then add the lettuce and toss. Pile onto plates and top with the eggs.
50g plain flour 10 sardines, scales removed, cleaned (use 8 if large) 2 lemons, zested large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 125ml white wine 2 x 400g cans chickpeas or butter beans, drained and rinsed 250g cherry tomatoes, halved crusty bread, to serve
GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • iron • folate • fibre • 3 of 5-a-day• gluten free PER SERVING 331 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 3g • carbs 25g • sugars 8g • fibre 7g • protein 12g • salt 0.6g
1 Season the flour and scatter over a large plate. Dip the sardines in the flour, one at a time. Combine the
lemon zest, parsley and half the garlic, and set aside. 2 Heat a very large pan (a paella pan is ideal) on the barbecue until very hot. Add the oil, heat for a few seconds, then carefully arrange the sardines in the oil in one layer. Fry for 3 mins until the underside is golden, then turn over and fry for another 3 mins. Lift onto a plate. 3 Fry the rest of the garlic for 1 min until softened. Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan using a wooden spoon, and boil for 1 min until reduced by half. 4 Tip in the chickpeas or butter beans and tomatoes, then stir until heated through. Season to taste, then nestle the fish back into the pan. Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the parsley mix, and serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • omega-3 • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 330 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 2g • carbs 22g • sugars 3g • fibre 4g • protein 24g • salt 0.8g
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Salmon & purple sprouting broccoli grain bowl An all-round balanced winner with oily fish, wholegrains and broccoli, which is rich in vitamin K – this can help boost cognitive function. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY
21/2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 /2 tsp honey 1 /2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 lemon, juiced 200g purple sprouting broccoli, stems cut into three pieces 1-2 garlic cloves, sliced 250g pouch mixed grains handful each of parsley and dill, roughly chopped 160g radishes, cut into chunks 200g cooked salmon, broken into chunks
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1 Mix 2 tbsp oil with the honey, mustard, lemon juice and some seasoning. Cook the broccoli for in a pan of boiling water for 3-4 mins until just tender with a slight bite. Drain. 2 Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 min. Tip in the mixed grain pouch, separating the grains using a spoon. Add the broccoli, dressing, herbs and radishes. Stir everything, season to taste, then stir through the salmon. Serve warm or cold. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • omega-3 • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 669 kcals • fat 39g • saturates 5g • carbs 36g • sugar 6g • fibre 10g • protein 39g • salt 0.4g
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Penne with broccoli, lemon & anchovies With healthy fats, wholegrains and plenty of veg, this is a great Mediterranean-style dish. The Med Diet is believed to help slow the rate of cognitive decline and potentially reduce the risk of dementia. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 17 mins EASY
170g wholemeal penne 1 leek, sliced 180g broccoli, cut into small florets 15g canned anchovies, chopped, plus 2 tsp oil from the can 1 red pepper, deseeded, quartered and sliced 1 /2 tsp finely chopped rosemary 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1 /2 lemon, zested and juiced 4 tbsp ricotta 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Cook the pasta and leek in a pan of boiling water for 7 mins, then add the broccoli. Boil for 5 mins more until everything is just tender, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. 2 Meanwhile, heat the anchovy oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and fry the red pepper with the rosemary, chilli and garlic for 5 mins until softened. 3 Tip the cooked pasta and veg into the pan and add the lemon juice and zest, the anchovies and ricotta. Toss well over the heat, using a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Toss the sunflower seeds through the pasta, then serve. GOOD TO KNOW low fat • low cal • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 493 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 3g • carbs 63g • sugars 7g • fibre 16g • protein 22g • salt 1.2g
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Your star ingredients No single food will ‘fix’ memory or focus, but some everyday ingredients contain nutrients that support brain function and structure, mood or healthy ageing
eggs are a source of B vitamins, which help break down homocysteine – an amino acid that rises with age, and is linked with cognitive decline and stroke. They also contain choline (in the yolks), a nutrient involved in the chemistry of memory. Try in a healthy shakshuka for a weekend brunch, or breakfast wraps.
BroccOli is rich in vitamin K, which may support cognitive function. Research suggests that vitamin K may slow the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that supports learning and memory. Try in soups, steamed as a side, or in pasta dishes.
Wholegrains The slow-release carbohydrate energy provided by wholegrains helps maintain focus and concentration throughout the day. Try in a wild rice salad.
Oily fish
such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines provide essential fatty acids that are important for healthy brain structure and function, and may support memory and focus. There’s also research pointing to a lower risk of cognitive decline. Aim for two portions per week. Try in salads, grilled, or in kedgeree.
Walnuts are high in vitamin E, which can help prevent cognitive decline. Walnuts specifically are linked with improved cognitive performance, as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Try in our aubergine, lentil & walnut ragu at goodfood.com, or use to top your morning porridge.
Olive oil is a key part of the Mediterranean diet, and it helps your body absorb the fat-soluble antioxidant lycopene, which has been shown to have neuroprotective benefits. Try in all manner of dishes as the starting point of a stew, mixed into salads, or drizzled over pasta and fish.
Blueberries
contain compounds including anthocyanins, which are linked to short-term memory improvements. More generally, berries of all kinds may help reduce age-related cognitive decline. Try blitzed into a smoothie, sprinkled on your porridge, or simply enjoy as a snack.
PumPkin seeds are rich in zinc, which could help support your memory and thinking. They’re also a useful source of magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan – a precursor to serotonin – all linked with improved mood. Try in a couscous salad, sprinkled over soup, or mixed through muesli.
green tea contains a low amount of caffeine and polyphenols, which may help slow the effects of ageing on the brain. Aim for moderate intake of around two or three cups per day, which is associated with a significant reduction in dementia risk Try in a refreshing drink over ice in summer, made with grapefruit, or strawberry and peach.
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Breaking bad habits (and what to do instead) Small, everyday choices add up – you can’t guarantee a healthy brain or fully protect against age-related conditions, but the right diet and lifestyle choices can help you perform at your best
Too much caffeine
Relying on UPFs
Moderate caffeine can have cognitive benefits, but too much may trigger anxiety, restlessness and sleep disruption, all of which can affect mental wellbeing and next-day functioning. Sensitivity varies, because people metabolise caffeine differently.
Diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked with poorer mental wellbeing and cognitive outcomes over time. Packaged snacks, sugary cereals and ready-meals can contain additives and oils that may negatively affect gut health, and therefore impact brain function and mood via the gut-brain axis. This is more about patterns and reliance than the occasional convenience meal, though!
How to beat it • If you notice jitters, mood swings or sleep issues, gradually reduce intake, and avoid it later in the day. • Swap some drinks for low-caffeine options, such as green tea. • Track when you’re using it as a quick-fix for tiredness, then remedy the root cause (hydration, sleep routine, eating habits).
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Overconsuming energy drinks These commonly contain caffeine, meaning regular consumption is likely to increase blood pressure and heart rate – as well as potentially cause nervousness, agitation, insomnia or mood swings. Some products are also high in sugar, which can lead to energy crashes and headaches.
How to beat it • If you do use energy drinks, avoid frequent use and binge consumption, and don’t mix them with alcohol. • Reduce your caffeine intake from other sources on the days when you do have an energy drink. • Focus on the basics – like hydration, balanced diet and adequate sleep – so you’re less reliant on stimulants.
How to beat it • Aim for a baseline of whole foods on most days, and view convenience foods as an add-on, rather than the foundation. • Build meals around fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, beans and pulses to increase protective nutrients and fibre. • If you buy convenience foods, read labels to compare ingredients and choose those that better support your overall diet.
Irregular sleep routine
Skipping meals This can lead to low blood sugar, meaning your energy-hungry brain becomes starved of fuel. Irregular eating patterns are also likely to cause blood sugar fluctuations that can affect your concentration and cognitive function.
How to beat it • Plan your meals ahead so you’re less likely to miss them after a busy day. • If you need snacks, choose balanced options that include protein, healthy fats and fibre to help sustain your energy between meals. • If breakfast is difficult, consider eating intuitively: tune in to your hunger cues rather than enforcing a rigid rule.
Inadequate sleep is linked with poorer focus and concentration, and there’s evidence connecting sleep quantity and quality with depression and other health problems. Poor sleep may also disrupt cortisol and blood glucose levels, potentially increasing your cravings for sugar or carbs and leading to greater caffeine use the next day.
How to beat it • Keep an eye on your sugar intake, ke, reduce caffeine intake gradually and try y eating eatiing your evening meal a little earlier. r. • If you feel tired all the time, use e that as a prompt to review your daily habits abits her (sleep timing, caffeine, diet) rather than simply ‘pushing through’.
Letting stress take ke over
Frequent alcohol consumption Alcohol can act as a depressant, and regular or excessive intake can disrupt your neurotransmitters, impair emotional stability and worsen sleep. While it may give you a short-lived mood boost, regular use can disrupt serotonin and dopamine balance over time, contributing to increased anxiety and low mood after the effects wear off.
How to beat it • If you’re worried about your drinking, speak to your GP for support, including referral to counselling services. • Use Drinkaware’s tools for structured, practical help (drinkaware.co.uk). • Prioritise sleep-supportive routines and alternative ways to decompress without alcohol.
Chronic stress can increase cortisol, isol, which whiich may shrink the hippocampus (the e brain’s braiin’s memory centre) over time. Stresss can also be a contributor to ‘brain fog’.
How to beat it • Try stress-regulation habits, such ch as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness ss or medi meditation, itation, as well as spending time in nature. ure. ck to (such as • Build in movement you can stick aerobic activity, strength training ng or yoga) – physical activity is linked with brain-supportive blood flow and stress reduction. • If your stress feels relentless, consider seeking support and speaking with a healthcare professional about what you’re experiencing.
Screen time before bed Blue light can impair melatonin production. The act of scrolling itself can also be stimulating, because the brain interprets it as a daytime activity. Over time, this can work against sleep quality, focus, concentration and your broader health.
How to beat it • Put your phone away at least 30 mins before bed. • Replace scrolling with a wind-down routine that signals nighttime (quiet, low-stimulation habits).
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HEALTHY HABIT STACKER Build better habits by picking one or two from each column every week
Effort level
Low effort
Movement + brain
Food, drink + gut
Sleep + stress
• Short daily walk
• Have yogurt or kefir
• Avoid intense, late workouts
• Gentle yoga
• Eat nuts or seeds
• Stretch break between tasks
• Avoid caffeine later on
• Have a wind-down routine
• Stay hydrated • Brisk walk with a friend
Medium
High
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• Beginner resistance routine
• Eat a Med-style lunch • Eat beans or wholegrains
• Try a gentle evening walk • Keep a consistent bedtime
• Learn a new skill
• Swap one snack for fruit
• Make a weekly plan
• Plan plantforward meals
• Build a full routine with:
• Mix aerobic and strength exercises
• Include oily fish in your dinner
• Try a group activity
• Try fermented foods daily
• Early training, • Calm evenings • Less caffeine
• Reduce caffeine
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WEEKEND Master the art of barbecue with Melissa Thompson, plus summery bank holiday dishes from Esther Clark and Sophie Godwin
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Spark creativity coals COOK THIS WEEKEND
ON THE
Entertain friends and family with elevated, modern grill recipes from food writer and chef Melissa Thompson photographs PATRICIA NIVEN
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weekend
Curry chicken kebabs This is the perfect marriage of Jamaican curry chicken and a Levantine method of skewering meat and cooking it over fire. The chopped, seasoned chicken thighs have lots of edges to catch the fire and crisp up, while in between the layers, the chicken steams to juicy perfection.
Melissa Thompson is an award-winning food and recipe writer. In 2014, she started a sell-out supper club that grew into a pop-up across London. Her debut cookbook, Motherland, was published in 2022, celebrating the food and history of Jamaica. She’s a vocal advocate for the promotion of black and minority ethnic people in food, and now provides advice on all aspects of the industry. @melissafood
SERVE 4 PREP 20 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating COOK 20 mins EASY
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 2 tbsp Jamaican curry powder 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning 3 spring onions 3 garlic cloves 1 /2 shallot or small red onion 1 tbsp thyme leaves 10g grated ginger 1 /4-1 scotch bonnet, depending on heat preference 1 tsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp vegetable oil For the curry yogurt 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 2 tsp thyme leaves 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 shallot or small red onion, finely diced 1 /2 scotch bonnet, finely diced 2 tsp Jamaican curry powder 200g Greek yogurt To serve flatbreads quick pickled onions (see right)
1 Cut each chicken thigh into two or three roughly equal pieces. Put in a bowl and rub in the curry powder and 1 tsp sea salt flakes. Set aside. Put the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour this over the chicken, mix well, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hr, or overnight. 2 Meanwhile, make the curry yogurt by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill until needed. When you’re ready to cook, light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking (see p93). 3 Push the chicken pieces onto four metal skewers. If you want, you can use two skewers side by side per kebab to make them more stable. Once ready, lay the skewers on the grill directly over the coals and cook for 3 mins, then turn them over. If they stick,
wait another minute or so and turn them once they come away from the grill bars easily. Cook on the other side for a further 3 mins before turning again and cooking until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through – a probe thermometer inserted into the chicken should read 70C; otherwise, slice a piece open to make sure it’s fully cooked. 4 Serve on a flatbread with the curry yogurt and pickled onions (see below). GOOD TO KNOW vit c • iron PER SERVING 332 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 6g • carbs 6g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 27g • salt 3.08g
Quick pickled onions SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus cooling COOK 5 mins EASY V
2 red onions, sliced into 3mm-thick rings 150ml cider vinegar 2 tbsp light brown soft sugar 1 bay leaf 1 tsp pimento (allspice) berries 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns
1 Put the onions in a sieve and pour over a kettle of boiling water. Leave to cool. 2 Heat the vinegar in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, then stir in the sugar and 1 tbsp fine sea salt until dissolved. Add the bay and spices. Pack the onion rings into a sterilised glass jar, then pour over the hot vinegar and seal. Once cooled, you can use them straightaway, but they’re best after a couple of days. Will keep chilled for up to three months. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • low fat • gluten free PER SERVING 52 kcals • fat 0.2g • saturates none • carbs 11g • sugars 9g • fibre 2g • protein 1g • salt 1.86g
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Seafood barbecue boil This is a seafood boil reimagined for the barbecue. The seasoned butter is the anchor to this, lending its aromatics to the different seafood in a unique hit. It’s a celebration of grilled shellfish, and the sort of meal you cook when friends come round and you end up with greasy faces and happy bellies. SERVES 6 PREP 1 hr COOK 1 hr MORE EFFORT
500g mussels 12 raw, shell-on king prawns 2 lobster tails 4 brown onions 500g new potatoes 3 tbsp vegetable oil, for drizzling 4 corn cobs, cut in half homemade Old Bay seasoning (see recipe below), for sprinkling 8 scallops in the half-shell (ask your fishmonger) 200g andouille sausage (or use 2 kielbasa or 4 cooking chorizos), cut into 4cm chunks 4 lemons, halved For the garlic butter 250g salted butter 1 tbsp homemade Old Bay seasoning (see recipe below) 25g parsley, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp smoked paprika 2 tsp onion granules 2 lemons, juiced
1 First, prepare the seafood. Scrape any barnacles off the mussels using a teaspoon and pull off any beards (the hairy bit that sticks out of shells). Trim the legs and antennae from the prawns, then cut through the backs of their shells from the bottom of the head to just before the beginning of the tail using scissors. Remove the dark intestinal tract from the backs of the prawns using a cocktail stick. Cut down the middle of the lobster shells. Run your fingers all around the meat to separate it from the shell, then sit it on top of the shell. 2 Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking (see p93). Put the onions directly onto the coals and cook for about 20 mins, turning every 4 mins until completely blackened and soft when pressed. Transfer to a lidded container, cool, then peel. 3 Next, make the garlic butter. Melt the butter in a flameproof saucepan on the grill over direct heat, then add the remaining ingredients along with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 2 mins until fragrant, then move to the indirect heat to keep warm. 4 Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water on the hob for about 20 mins, or until just tender. Drain and transfer to a grill basket. Drizzle over half the oil, then put the basket on the grill near the direct heat. Add the corn cobs to the basket. Shake the basket every couple 88 goodfood.com MAY 2026
of minutes so the potatoes colour all over. When they’re almost ready, brush over some garlic butter. Once the corn kernels have started to turn bright yellow with spots of golden brown in parts, brush over more butter and remove from the heat. 5 Put the lobster tails over the indirect heat and sprinkle over a pinch of the homemade Old Bay seasoning. Close the lid of the barbecue and cook for 15 mins. Halfway through, drizzle over some of the garlic butter. 6 Drizzle some garlic butter over the scallops in their shells, then arrange them on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 6-8 mins until the butter is bubbling and the scallops have turned from translucent to opaque white. Put the prawns in a bowl and sprinkle over some of the Old Bay seasoning, then drizzle over the rest of the oil and toss to coat. Put the prawns on the grill directly over the coals and cook until pink on the bottom. Flip and cook on the other side for a couple of minutes, brushing with a little of the garlic butter before transferring to the indirect heat side. 7 Cook the sausages over the indirect heat for 10 mins before moving to the direct heat for a couple of minutes to colour the outside. Char the lemons, cut-side down, for 5 mins, then remove and set aside. 8 Add the mussels to the grill basket and cook on the grill directly over the coals until they open (discard any that don’t open). Transfer all the seafood to a bowl along with the onions. Drizzle over more garlic butter, then give the bowl a gentle shake to coat everything. Put the potatoes, lemon and corn on the serving platter along with the onions and the seafood. Fill a bowl with some of the remaining garlic butter for drizzling, and pour the rest directly over the boil. Serve immediately. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 796 kcals • fat 55g • saturates 27g • carbs 31g • sugars 10g • fibre 10g • protein 40g • salt 3.75g
Homemade Old Bay seasoning MAKES about 200g PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V
Blitz 1 tbsp celery salt, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 /2 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp pimento (allspice) berries, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp English mustard powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp MSG and 1 tsp ground black pepper together in a spice grinder. Tip into an airtight jar. Will keep for up to three months. GOOD TO KNOW vegan PER TSP 6 kcals • fat 0.3g • saturates 0.1g • carbs 0.2g • sugars 0.1g • fibre 1g • protein 0.3g • salt 0.83g
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MAY 2026 goodfood.com 89
Roasted cauliflower with yogurt & brown butter This dish makes a fuss of cauliflower in a way the brassica deserves. The nutty brown butter pools into the yogurt and brings everything together. It goes brilliantly with roast chicken, or a quinoa salad and other roasted vegetables to make a meat-free feast. SERVES 4 as a main or 6 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 1 hr EASY V
1 whole cauliflower with leaves attached 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp thyme leaves 1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground cumin 40g walnuts 200g Greek yogurt small handful of parsley, chopped 1 /2 lemon, zested and juiced 100g salted butter 10g crispy shallots (optional)
1 Carefully remove the cauliflower leaves. Discard the thickest outer ones, but keep the rest. Carefully trim off the florets. Trim the end of the core and discard, then peel and cut the core into chunks. Put in a bowl with the florets and leaves, then drizzle over the oil, rubbing it all over to fully coat everything. 2 Combine all the dried herbs and spices along with 1 tsp fine sea salt, then sprinkle this over the cauliflower pieces and leaves. Set aside. 3 Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking (see p93). Once ready, put the florets and core pieces on the grill directly over the coals and cook for 10 mins, turning after a couple of minutes to get a bit of colour all over. Push to the indirect heat and close the lid of the barbecue. Cook for 20 mins more until the pieces are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. 4 When the pieces are almost ready, crisp the leaves on the grill directly over the coals, turning often so they don’t burn. Move from the direct heat as they crisp up. 5 Put the walnuts in a small flameproof frying pan on the grill over indirect heat and toast for 10-15 mins until golden. Remove from the grill and chop. 6 Combine the yogurt, parsley, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Spoon into the middle of a large platter, then arrange the grilled leaves around the edge of the plate. Top with the cauliflower pieces. 7 Melt the butter in a flameproof saucepan on the grill and cook until it starts to foam. When the bubbles die down, cook for another minute or so until the butter smells nutty. When you swirl the pan, you’ll be able to see that the butter is dark golden and the milk solids have turned dark brown. Be careful to not let it burn. 8 Pour the brown butter over the cauliflower and leaves. Sprinkle over the walnuts and the crispy shallots, if using. Serve immediately. GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (6) 288 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 12g • carbs 6g • sugars 4g • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 1.2g
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Roasted cauliflower with yogurt & brown butter
Roasted beetroot with walnuts & buffalo mozzarella
weekend Courgettes with ricotta, lemon & chilli
2 Drizzle over some oil and season with a pinch of salt.
My mum is Maltese – when my parents lived there, I’d seek out fresh ricotta. I’d have it with the freshest, sweetest tomatoes or grilled courgettes with garlic and black pepper. Perfection in its simplicity.
Put some of the slices (you’ll need to cook them in batches) on the grill directly over the coals and cook for a couple of minutes until they easily come away from the grill – if there’s any resistance, leave them for a little bit longer. Flip and cook the other side for 5 mins until browned, then move to the indirect heat until all the slices are cooked. Once they’re all cooked, transfer to a bowl and, while they’re still hot, add the garlic, lemon zest and juice and 1 tsp olive oil, then mix thoroughly. 3 Tip the ricotta into the middle of a serving plate. Scatter the courgettes around the ricotta, then sprinkle a few good grinds of black pepper and the chilli flakes over the ricotta. Serve immediately. Any leftovers are lovely tossed through pasta.
SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V
4 courgettes 1 tsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 lemon, zested and juiced 200g ricotta pinch of chilli flakes
1 Trim the courgettes, then halve across the middle and cut each half into 5mm-thick slices. Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking (see p93).
GOOD TO KNOW vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (6) 74 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 3g • carbs 3g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.09g
Courgettes with ricotta, lemon & chilli
Herby quinoa salad
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 91
Herby quinoa salad This dish started out as tabbouleh, then I swapped out the bulgur wheat for quinoa to accommodate someone who couldn’t eat gluten. It’s got the freshness and vitality you’d expect from a tabbouleh, and it goes perfectly with a barbecue spread. SERVES 6-8 PREP 10 mins plus cooling COOK 10 mins EASY V
100g quinoa, or 250g pre-cooked quinoa 125g parsley, finely chopped 25g mint leaves, finely chopped 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 banana shallot, thinly sliced 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and chopped 100g cucumber, finely chopped 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Cook the quinoa following pack instructions, then leave to cool.
2 Mix the quinoa with the remaining ingredients in a bowl, then taste and add 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes, or as needed. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (8) 80 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 1g • carbs 8g • sugars 2g • fibre 3g • protein 2g • salt 0.33g
Recipes are extracted from Fired Up by Melissa Thompson (£22, Carnival) and not retested by us. Photographs by Patricia Niven.
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Roasted beetroot with walnuts & buffalo mozzarella SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr EASY V
6 beetroots (choose candy or multicoloured, if possible) 80g walnuts 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 lemon, juiced 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 ball buffalo mozzarella 1 /2 shallot, thinly sliced into rings 15g dill, leaves picked
1 Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking (see p93). Cook the beetroot directly over the coals, turning every 5 mins (including onto the top and bottom) for 30 mins until blackened. Wrap all the beetroots in foil together, then return to the coals, cooking for 20-30 mins more until slightly soft when pressed. Remove from the barbecue. Cool in the foil. 2 Toast the walnuts in a flameproof frying pan on the grill over indirect heat for 10 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, roughly chop. Combine the oil, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl, and mix with a pinch of sea salt to make the dressing. 3 Once the beetroots have cooled, peel and slice as thinly as possible (about 2mm thickness). Arrange on a plate so the edges are overlapping, then drizzle over most of the dressing. 4 Tear the mozzarella into six pieces and arrange randomly on the plate. Drizzle over the remaining dressing, then scatter over the walnuts, shallots and dill leaves to serve. GOOD TO KNOW folate • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (6) 218 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 4g • carbs 7g • sugars 6g • fibre 3g • protein 8g • salt 0.4g
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Barbecue set-ups Choosing a set-up depends on what you’re cooking, how long it needs to cook and at what temperature. The most common mistake people make when grilling is to throw a load of lit charcoal onto the grate and hope for the best. But, this poses a couple of problems: first, using that much coal is going to make your grill really hot. But, more importantly, there’s no cool area to put food that’s ready while the rest is trying to catch up. The solution for this is to ‘zone’ your grill, so you have different temperature zones for direct and indirect cooking.
DIRECT OR INDIRECT COOKING Rarely do I cook something using direct heat only. I leave a ‘cool’ or ‘indirect’ area without coals so that once one part of the cook is ready, it can be moved to the indirect side to wait for the rest to catch up. For example, individual fish are usually cooked over direct heat, but moved to the indirect side as they finish until cooked through. A whole or spatchcock chicken will spend most of its time cooking indirectly to ensure it’s fully cooked (bone-in meats take longer) before being transferred to direct heat to initiate the Maillard reaction.
TOPPING UP YOUR CHARCOAL There’s a commonly misheld belief that lit charcoal has to be white and glowing before it’s used. That belief is from a time when briquettes were the most commonly used fuel type, and the chemicals needed to be fully burned off before coming close to food. If you need to top briquettes up during a cook, light them separately in a chimney starter until they’re fully ashed over and glowing before pouring them into the grate. During a longer cook, you may need to top up the coals midway through. Once you’ve added the new coals, listen out for a faint crackling sound – that’s the sound of the new coals being ignited.
SET-UPS There are three charcoal set-ups I mainly use when barbecuing:
50:50 method
Clear channel method
Bullseye method
The most common set-up, and my go-to. I add coals to one half of the grate, and leave the other half without. If I’m cooking a lot of food and not doing much indirect cooking, the area with coals will be bigger than half – perhaps as much as three-quarters filled with coals, and the remaining quarter without.
This set-up arranges the coals on either side of the grate, with a clear channel through the middle. I use it for food made up of individual, smallish pieces that need to be cooked indirectly. It also works for slow cooks in a pan – the pan sits in the middle of the grill with coals piled either side, so the food cooks without risk of burning at the bottom.
In this set-up, the coals are positioned in a pile in the middle of the grate. I use this set-up for direct cooks to get a sizzle going in a pan, before the coals are then pushed to the sides for indirect cooking. This is where coal baskets come into their own, because you can easily pull a basket to one side. MAY 2026 goodfood.com 93
Brighten your bank holidays
Photograph MIKE ENGLISH | Food stylist ESTHER CLARK | Stylist FAYE WEARS
Whatever the weather, bring fun and sunshine to your table with recipes from Esther Clark that set the tone for summer
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Cauliflower & curried mayo burgers With a hit of spice and lots of colour and texture, these should go down a storm – especially with the addition of Bombay mix for satisfying crunch. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V
1 small cauliflower 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp medium curry powder 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 /2 bunch of coriander, finely chopped 2 tbsp mayonnaise 3 tbsp Greek yogurt 2 tbsp curry paste 4 burger buns 2 handfuls of Bombay mix (optional)
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pull the leaves off the cauliflower and cut off the stem, then slice the cauliflower into 2cm-thick steaks through the core. Mix the oil with the curry powder. Lay the cauliflower steaks on a baking tray lined with foil, and generously brush over the curry oil on both sides. Season with salt before roasting for 25-30 mins until tender. 2 Combine the tomatoes, onion, coriander and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then mix the mayonnaise, yogurt and curry paste together in a second bowl. 3 Toast the buns, cut-side down, in a dry frying pan. Spread with the curried mayo, then sandwich with the cauliflower steaks, more curried mayo, the tomato and onion mixture and some Bombay mix, if you like. GOOD TO KNOW fibre PER SERVING 584 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 5g • carbs 63g • sugars 18g • fibre 12g • protein 21g • salt 1.7g
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Last-minute guests will love this dip, which can be made in minutes – radishes, carrots and cucumber are ideal for dipping, or use crackers or other veg. SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 mins COOK 2 mins EASY V
130g feta, crumbled 150g Greek yogurt 1 /2 lemon, zested 1 /4 bunch of dill 1 /4 bunch of basil 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp za’atar or chilli flakes bunch of radishes (see tip)
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1 Put the feta, yogurt, lemon zest, herbs and oil in a food processor or high-speed blender, and pulse until creamy and smooth. Spoon into a shallow serving bowl and set aside. 2 For the topping, toast the coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Scatter these over the dip along with the za’atar or chilli flakes. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve with the radishes for dunking. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING (6) 147 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 6g • carbs 2g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.6g
tip Thoroughly wash and scrub the radishes before serving – they can hide a good amount of dirt and grit.
Photographs CLARE WINFIELD | Food stylist ESTHER CLARK | Stylist MAX ROBINSON
Whipped feta
weekend
Seared tuna & asparagus niçoise Head to your fishmonger for the sashimigrade tuna you’ll need to make this fresh take on niçoise salad – this is to ensure the fish can be safely eaten raw. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins EASY
300g small new potatoes, halved 250g asparagus 3 eggs 1 tbsp olive oil 200g thick-cut, sashimi-grade tuna loin, or 2 tuna steaks 3 large tomatoes, quartered 50g pitted Kalamata olives, halved 10 caper berries For the dressing 5 anchovy fillets 1 /2 small garlic clove, crushed 70ml extra virgin olive oil 1 /2 lemon, juiced
1 Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 12 mins, or until a cutlery knife can be easily inserted. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon and leave to steam-dry. Boil the asparagus in the pan for 2 mins, then spoon into a bowl of ice-cold water. Set aside. 2 Bring another pan of water to the boil over a medium-high heat and cook the eggs for 71/2 mins. Drain, then add to the bowl of cold water with the asparagus. 3 For the dressing, bash the anchovies and garlic together using a pestle and mortar until you have a very smooth paste. Tip into a bowl, then whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season. 4 To sear the tuna, heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook for 1-2 mins on each side, until it just has a slightly golden colour. Slice into thick pieces (it should still be pink in the middle). Peel and halve the eggs. 5 Toss the potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, olives, caper berries and dressing together on a large serving platter. Top with the eggs and tuna slices. Sseason to taste with salt and a grinding of black pepper, then serve. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 426 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 5g • carbs 15g • sugars 5g • fibre 4g • protein 25g • salt 1.6g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 97
Cheesy hot dogs with pickle mustard sauce & crispy onions Instead of your usual frankfurters, use bratwurst-style sausages to make these – they’ll hold up well to all the toppings you pile on. Crispy onions add great texture. SERVES 8 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY
8 large bratwurst-style sausages 80g grated mozzarella 8 brioche hot dog buns 50g crispy onions (see opposite) ketchup, to serve (optional) For the pickle mustard sauce 50g mayonnaise 2 tbsp American-style yellow mustard 5 cornichons, finely chopped
1 For the pickle mustard sauce, combine the mayo, mustard and cornichons in a bowl. Chill until needed.
2 Heat the barbecue and wait until the coals turn ashen. Alternatively, heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Cook the sausages for 7-8 mins, turning regularly until evenly browned and cooked through, then push the sausages together on the grill or in the pan and scatter over the grated mozzarella. Cook, undisturbed, for 2 mins more, or until the cheese has melted. 3 Split the hot dog buns open and stuff each one with a cheese-topped sausage. Drizzle over the pickle mustard sauce and top with crispy onions and ketchup, if you like. PER SERVING 623 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 15g • carbs 41g • sugars 9g • fibre 2g • protein 20g • salt 2.74g
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MAKE YOUR OWN CRISPY ONIONS Combine 4 thinly sliced onions and 4 tsp cornflour in a bowl, tossing to ensure the onions are evenly coated. Heat a 3cm depth of vegetable oil in a large saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat until it reaches 160C, or a piece of onion sizzles when you drop it in. Fry the onions in batches for 5-8 mins, stirring regularly until golden and crispy. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain using a slotted spoon. Season generously with salt. Will keep in an airtight container for up to four days.
Crispy onions: Photograph WILL HEAP | Food stylist JAKE FENTON | Stylist SARAH BIRKS
Hot dogs: Photograph CLARE WINFIELD | Food stylist ESTHER CLARK | Stylist TAMSIN WESTON
GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER TBSP 43 kcals • fat 3g • saturates 0.2g • carbs 3g • sugars 1g • fibre 0.5g • protein 0.2g • salt 0.01g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 99
Coronation chicken scotch eggs
SERVES 4 PREP 1 hr plus chilling and resting COOK 30 mins MORE EFFORT
7 medium eggs, at room temperature 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 2 tsp mild curry powder 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 4 spring onions, roughly chopped 100g plain flour 100g panko breadcrumbs, blitzed to fine crumbs in a food processor vegetable oil, for deep-frying For the coronation mayo 50g mayonnaise 70g Greek yogurt 2 tsp mild curry powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tbsp mango chutney
1 Cook 4 of the eggs in a pan of simmering water over a medium heat for 6 mins. Drain, then immediately plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel and set aside on a board or plate. 2 Tip the chicken thighs, curry powder, thyme leaves and spring onions into a food processor with 1 tsp salt. Blitz until the mixture clumps together and resembles sausagemeat – the chicken should be minced. Tip into a bowl and divide into four portions, then roll each portion into a ball. Working with one meatball at a time, gently flatten into a disc in your palm and sit one of the boiled eggs in the middle. Bring the meat around the egg to enclose it, gently rolling in your hand to ensure it’s fully covered. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture and boiled eggs. 3 Crack the remaining eggs into a shallow bowl and whisk. Tip the flour into a separate bowl and panko breadcrumbs into a third. Gently roll each scotch egg in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the panko until well-coated. Put on a plate and chill for 30 mins. 4 Meanwhile, make the coronation mayo by mixing the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, turmeric and mango chutney together. Season and chill until needed. 5 Fill a large saucepan no more than a third full with oil and heat to 160C, or when a cube of bread dropped in browns within 30 seconds. Lower 2 of the scotch eggs into the oil at a time and fry for 10-12 mins. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining scotch eggs, then leave all the eggs to rest for 5 mins. Cut the scotch eggs in half and serve with the coronation mayo on the side. PER SERVING 557 kcals • fat 32g • saturates 6g • carbs 33g • sugars 5g • fibre 2g • protein 33g • salt 2.44g
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Photograph CLARE WINFIELD | Food stylist ESTHER CLARK | Stylist TAMSIN WESTON
Take standard scotch eggs to the next level by combining them with the flavours of classic coronation chicken. These make a great starter, but also a crowdpleasing addition for picnics and parties (the recipe is easily doubled).
weekend
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COOK THIS WEEKEND
Food for friends
Chef Sophie Godwin specialises in easy but impressive dishes for casual entertaining – and these can all be prepped ahead photographs MICHAEL CONDRAN 102 goodfood.com MAY 2026
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Confit tomato toasts with crispy capers & basil Sophie Godwin is a chef, food writer and stylist, and runs London-based catering company Scramble LDN with her husband Adam. Last year, they opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant, Twirly Bird, in London’s Spitalfields Market. @sophieonaplate
Get ahead The confit tomatoes can be made earlier in the day, or the day before. Keep them in the roasting tray, covered with foil. The crispy capers can be made a few hours before.
Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes in a combination of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chilli, herbs: this is one of my favourite things to cook, which explains why I always make extra. Any leftovers can be used to make a quick pasta sauce the next day. SERVES 6 as a hearty snack PREP 15 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V
1kg cherry vine tomatoes (I like to use a mix of colours) 6 small garlic cloves ½-1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste 30g basil 100ml extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp capers 1 tbsp vegetable oil 6 large slices of bread, such as sourdough (use gluten-free bread to make this recipe gluten-free) 250g thick Greek yogurt drizzle of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (use a good-quality one)
1 Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Pick the tomatoes off the vine into a roughly 20 x 30cm roasting tray. Peel the garlic and add to the tray with the chilli flakes. Tear in the basil stalks, keeping the leaves for later. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the olive oil over the top. Cover the tray tightly with foil and roast for 40-45 mins until the tomatoes are jammy and softened. 2 Meanwhile, drain the capers and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the capers and fry for 2 mins until they begin to open and turn crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, then leave to cool. 3 When you’re ready to eat, toast the bread. Cut each piece of toast in half, so you have two per person. Drizzle over a little of the confit tomato oil from the tray. Fish out the roasted garlic cloves and use a knife to spread the soft garlic evenly over each piece of toast. Spoon over the yogurt, making a divot in the centre for the tomatoes. 4 Top the toasts with the confit tomatoes, another drizzle of oil from the tray and a splash of the vinegar, then add the crispy capers and the basil leaves, and serve. GOOD TO KNOW folate • vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 631 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 6g • carbs 78g • sugars 14g • fibre 6g • protein 20g • salt 2.5g
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Seriously good prawn spaghetti I’m not lying when I say this is seriously good – and it has the potential to transport you to Mediterranean climes. It has all the classic components – garlic, tomatoes, prawns, lemon – but what really takes it up a notch is that you use the shells from the prawns to infuse the white wine for max flavour. I first made it for my mates on holiday in Madeira and they loved it. I hope you do, too. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY
16-20 (about 600g) fresh or frozen raw, shell-on king prawns 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve 250ml white wine 2 banana shallots or 1 onion (I like the sweetness of shallots) 4-6 large garlic cloves, to taste ½ tsp hot smoked paprika 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée) 300g cherry vine tomatoes 400-500g spaghetti (depending on how hungry you are) about 30g parsley 50g salted or unsalted butter 1 lemon
1 If your prawns are frozen, defrost them first. Peel the prawns, putting the shells in a small saucepan and the peeled prawns in a bowl in the fridge. Devein if needed. 2 Add 1 tsp of the olive oil to the prawn shells in the pan. Set the pan over a high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the shells have turned from grey to bright pink. Pour in the white wine with 150ml water, reduce the heat to medium and leave to bubble away for 10 mins, pressing down on the prawn shells every now and then to infuse the liquid with their flavour. Turn off the heat and set aside. 3 Finely chop the shallots or onion. Heat the remaining olive oil in a largeish saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured. 4 Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic. Add to the pan and cook for 2 mins until soft, then add the smoked paprika and tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 min more. 5 Strain the prawn-infused wine into the pan of shallots, discarding the shells, and add the cherry tomatoes. Cover with the lid and leave to bubble away, stirring occasionally, while you cook the spaghetti. 6 Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then drop in the spaghetti. Cook following pack instructions, or for 1 min less if you like it al dente. 7 Meanwhile, chop the parsley (stalks and all). Cut the butter into cubes. 8 When the pasta has 4 mins left to cook, remove the lid from your sauce (the tomatoes should be starting to fall apart and everything will smell banging). Season the prawns with salt and pepper and add them to the sauce, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the prawns turn completely pink. 9 Add the butter to the sauce, along with three-quarters of the parsley. Squeeze in the lemon juice (grate the zest and save for later) and season to taste – I like loads of black pepper. 10 Using tongs, transfer the spaghetti to the sauce, tossing everything together so that each strand is coated, then divide between serving bowls. Top with the lemon zest, the remaining parsley and a drizzle more oil, if you like. Sensational. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 688 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 7g • carbs 81g • sugars 8g • fibre 7g • protein 41g • salt 1.1g
Get ahead Steps 1-4 can be done in advance. Peel the prawns and keep them covered in a bowl in the fridge. Cook the shells in the wine, then strain and keep the liquid in a jug in the fridge until needed. You can also cook the shallots/onion, garlic, tomato paste and smoked paprika a few hours ahead and leave them in the saucepan until needed.
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Basque cheesecake A couple of years ago, Adam and I were tasked with making a Basque cheesecake for a post-wedding lunch and I became obsessed with nailing the recipe. This is the final iteration, and one that has become a favourite dessert when I am cheffing. SERVES 12 PREP 25 mins plus cooling and overnight chilling COOK 35 mins EASY V
butter, for the tin 720g soft cheese 240g caster sugar 5 eggs 400ml double cream 1 tbsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla paste (whatever you have to hand) 2 tbsp plain flour (or use cornflour/cornstarch to make it gluten-free)
1 Heat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Butter a deep 20cm springform cake tin. To line the sides, cut a strip of baking parchment 7.5cm deeper than your tin and long enough to line the inside. Using scissors, cut incisions, each about 2.5cm long and apart, down one side of the strip.
Get ahead Once made, the cheesecake will keep for up to four days in the fridge.
2 Line the sides of the tin with the strip, incisions lying flat on the base, then cover with a round of baking parchment to line the base. Put the tin on a baking tray – this will help contain any spillages. 3 Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat the soft cheese and sugar together for 2-3 mins until there is no visible graininess and the sugar dissolves. 4 Crack in the eggs, one at a time, whisking between each addition. Pour in the cream and add the vanilla and 1 tsp flaky sea salt, then sift in the flour. Whisk again to make a smooth batter. 5 Pour the batter into your lined cake tin on the tray. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 mins until the top is evenly burnished and the middle is still very wobbly – you need to be brave here. It will look like it’s not cooked but, trust me, it cooks more as it cools. This is the secret to a creamy filling. 6 Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 15 mins, then carefully remove the sides and leave to cool completely (removing the sides also halts the cooking process). 7 Once cool, chill the cheesecake overnight in the fridge (you can put the cake tin sides back on for stability, if you like). Bring back to room temperature 1 hr before serving in 12 decadent slices. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 441 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 21g • carbs 25g • sugars 22g • fibre 0.1g • protein 7g • salt 1g
Recipes extracted from I’ll Cook! by Sophie Godwin (£20, Murdoch) and not retested by us. Photographs ©Caitlin Isola 2026.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 107
Megan McKenna’s
hearty Italian pasta The TV personality and country singer on living with coeliac disease, plus her favourite gluten-free meal recipe photograph LUKE ALBERT
MY FAVOURITE DISH
I Reality star, country singer and food writer Megan McKenna has had coeliac disease since she was a child. She showcased her gluten-free cooking on Celebrity MasterChef, where she was a finalist, and has since written two gluten-free cookbooks. Megan is also known for her videos on social media where she dishes up dinner for her oneyear-old son, Landon @MeganMcKenna
108 goodfood.com MAY 2026
I was always ill as a child. I had to have tests done, and it turned out I was coeliac and had a very nasty allergy to wheat, which is in everything – so many things you don’t even think of – sweets, sauces, bath stuff. It was hard because I was 10 and I couldn’t eat normal food like everybody else at school. My mum had to learn how to make things gluten-free because back in the day, gluten-free food was awful, like cardboard. My favourite dish is beef short rib ragu (p110). I did a step-by-step for it on TikTok once and so many people made it – it’s so good. There are a lot of meals in my book that are naturally gluten-free. I just want to make people feel included. Coeliac disease is completely different to having an allergy, it’s an autoimmune condition. It attacks your gut, and can leave you feeling ill for weeks. I have IBS as well, just to add to the list of things wrong with my stomach. If I ever have a spicy curry, it doesn’t end well. Same with alcohol – when I was younger, I’d be going out drinking with my friends, but so many vodkas are made with wheat and I’d wake up in the morning with a swollen face. If you say you’re gluten-free or coeliac, people think you’re being fussy or that it’s just a trend. There are so many things on the menu that say gluten-free and they’re not. For example, chips are gluten-free but if they’re cooked in a fryer that’s been used to cook something else with gluten in, it’s cross-contamination. I’m working with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation because I hear stories daily about crosscontamination – people have ended up dying. It needs to be spoken about. I went to theatre school then I was in girl bands, I did Britain’s Got Talent and
weekend
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 109
weekend
TRY THE RECIPE Short rib ragu of dreams This dish has been so successful for me – the first time I cooked this for my husband Oli, he was blown away. The silky rich flavours of the ragu make everyone fall madly in love. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 5 hrs EASY
I’m not embarrassed to say I wanted to be famous. I worked hard and wanted to be known for my singing adverts. Then a production company messaged me about doing a reality show [Ex on the Beach]. I thought, “Sod it, I’m going to do it”. It’s hard breaking into the industry when you’re just a normal girl. I was 22 and looking back, I wasn’t mentally ready. There was a lot of alcohol and I was the show’s dream booking – I reacted in crazy ways. Off the back of that I did more shows – Big Brother, TOWIE, MasterChef, The X Factor: Celebrity. I’m not embarrassed to say I wanted to be famous. I worked hard and wanted to be known for my singing. I love interacting with the crowd and people on social media, I live and breathe it. I love country music because it’s storytelling. It’s been hard trying to be taken seriously, but the world’s changing. This is a really lovely era for me – my book is out, I’m a mum and I’m sharing a bit more of my home life. Reality TV traumatised me – I definitely have PTSD from it – but with social media, I can control and edit it.
110 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Recipe extracted from Love Gluten Free by Megan McKenna (£22, Hamlyn). Photographs © Luke Albert 2025 To listen to a longer chat with Megan, go to goodfood.com/ podcast, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heavily season your ribs with salt and pepper and rub into the meat. 2 Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, sear your ribs for about 4 mins each side until browned. Transfer to a deep oven tray. 3 Tip the garlic, carrots, onion and celery into the oily frying pan. Stir over a medium heat for a few minutes until browned. 4 Stir in the tomato purée, then pour in the red wine and let it bubble and reduce for about 5 mins. 5 Add your beef stock, then the chopped tomatoes. Stir for a minute or so until heated through. 6 In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp water. Add to the tomato mixture, stirring until you have a thick sauce. 7 Pour the sauce over your ribs in the oven tray, then add the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. 8 Cover the tray with foil and place in the oven for 4 hrs. If the sauce doesn’t seem thick enough, mix the remaining cornflour with 2 tbsp water and stir into the tray. Return to the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 40 mins, removing the foil for the last 10 mins. 9 Using two forks, pull the bones out of the ribs and discard any remaining fat. Shred the meat and mix evenly through the sauce. 10 Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to stop the gluten-free pasta from sticking and 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, then cook the spaghetti for 7-9 mins until al dente. Drain the pasta, dish it up with the ragu, scatter with parsley and enjoy. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • iron • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 1067 kcals • fat 37g • saturates 15g • carbs 113g • sugars 18g • fibre 11g • protein 47g • salt 1.55g
Compiled by FIONA FORMAN | Photographs MARK HOLLOWAY / REDFERNS /GETTY, KEN MCKAY/ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK
2 large or 3 medium short ribs olive oil, for frying and cooking the pasta 1 tbsp crushed garlic 2 carrots, finely chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 200g tomato purée ½ bottle red wine 1 gluten-free beef stock cube, dissolved in 600ml boiling water 400g can chopped tomatoes 2-3 tbsp cornflour or gluten-free plain flour 3 bay leaves 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs 1 tbsp dried oregano 400g gluten-free spaghetti handful of flat-leaf parsley, to serve
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Meals made easy
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READY TO ORDER? Simply head to gousto.co. uk/goodfood, choose your box size (one to five people), add your recipes and pick your preferred delivery day. Once you’ve ordered, your perfectly portioned ingredients will be delivered to your door, along with step-by-step recipe cards, so you can whip up a different dish every night with ease. Plus, you can skip, cancel or change your subscription whenever you like.
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MAY 2026 goodfood.com 111
Table for four
Whitney Houston didn’t want to dance In our YouTube series, Mathew Horne and Joanna Page invite a well-known duo to dinner. This time, it’s Dame Arlene Phillips and actor Bradley Riches MAT Welcome to the table. We’re thrilled to have you both here. But, first thing’s first: how did you actually meet?
stopped all night. After that, we just kept in touch and started meeting for dinner.
ON THE MENU Shirley temple mocktail Because Arlene has loved shirley temples since first drinking one in New York
JOANNA What do you usually order? ARLENE It was at a big charity event. We were sitting next to each other, and Bradley said hello… and never stopped talking. He was crazy about musical theatre and knew all the shows I’d done. We talked about Grease forever.
BRADLEY Steak, every time. ARLENE That’s my go-to as well. Though, I do love fish – I grew up eating it. But, when we eat together, it’s usually steak.
BRADLEY I had questions. I was like, “When you did this show, when you did that...” I think I remembered things even Arlene had forgotten.
JOANNA Did either of you grow up cooking much?
ARLENE He absolutely did. At one point, I was saying, “Did I really do that?” And he’d say, “Yes, you definitely did.” But, the conversation never
ARLENE Absolutely not. I’m the worst cook in the world. I’m lucky – my partner is a brilliant cook. I’m great at setting the table and washing-up.
112 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Crispy coconut prawn tacos Because Bradley is learning to love seafood Cowboy pie Because Arlene’s ‘desert island dish’ is mash Apple crumble sundae Because Arlene and Bradley love comfort food
table talk He was crazy about musical theatre and knew all the shows I’d done. We talked about Grease forever
BRADLEY It’s funny, because both my parents are chefs, and my sister’s a chef now, too. I’m the one who just eats everything. JOANNA What did you eat growing up? BRADLEY Plain pasta and cheese – that was my comfort food. My parents could cook anything, but that’s all I wanted. Now, I go home and it’s like eating in a restaurant, but free! MAT Bradley, your journey into acting is quite extraordinary. You were diagnosed with autism as a child and didn’t speak until around age nine or 10. How did acting come into your life? BRADLEY For a long time, I communicated through sounds or cards. My family were amazing – they kind of created their own handbook for how to help me. Then, I started acting classes. At first, I’d just make sounds or do silly accents, but through characters I found my voice. Eventually, I realised Bradley could speak, too. JOANNA You’re about to launch a podcast together. What’s the idea? BRADLEY Basically us arguing – nicely. ARLENE The audience sends in questions, and we debate them. Because of the age gap, we often see things very differently.
ARLENE Sometimes I worry I’ll be the one who gets cancelled! MAT Arlene, you’ve worked with some of the biggest stars in the world. What’s the secret to building a strong creative relationship? ARLENE Passion, loving what you do. But, also understanding why the person you’re working with is there. What do they want from the project? If you connect with that, you can help bring out the best in them. MAT Has anyone ever surprised you? ARLENE When I first worked with Whitney Houston, she didn’t want to dance and felt shy. But a few months later on the next video we did, her confidence had exploded. She wanted to learn every move. It was magical watching that. MAT You’ve both talked about how performance helped shape your lives. ARLENE Dance saved me. My childhood was very hard – my mother died when I was 15 and we had very little money. Dance was my escape.
LISTEN OR WATCH To enjoy the full interview, search ‘Table for Four’ wherever you get your podcasts, or catch the full episode on YouTube.
BRADLEY Acting did the same for me. It gave me freedom and helped me find my voice, literally. MAT Maybe that’s why you connect so strongly.
BRADLEY We stick or twist on our answers, though Arlene usually twists my arm somehow.
BRADLEY Maybe. I didn’t expect therapy with dinner today. JOANNA Well, that’s what happens when you bring good food and good company together.
try Arlene’s dish for yourself MAY 2026 goodfood.com 113
table talk
try the dish Cowboy pie SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr EASY
2 tsp sunflower oil 1 onion, finely chopped 8 pork sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated 2 tsp hot smoked paprika 2 x 410g cans baked beans 3 tbsp barbecue sauce 75g grated cheddar 2 tbsp chopped chives (optional) For the mashed potato 1 kg potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped 50g butter 4 tbsp milk
114 goodfood.com MAY 2026
1 First, make the mashed potato. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil over a medium heat, then carefully tip in the potatoes and cook for 15-20 mins until tender. Drain, then tip back into the pan and leave to steam-dry for a couple of minutes before mashing. Tip in the butter and milk, and stir through until combined. Set aside, covered with the lid, to keep warm. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 6-8 mins until softened. Tip in the sausage pieces and fry for 4 mins more until browned all over, then add the garlic and cook for another minute before stirring in the paprika. Cook
for 1 min more. Pour in the beans and barbecue sauce, and cook until the mixture is just below a simmer before removing from the heat. 3 Spoon the sausage and bean mixture into an ovenproof tin or baking dish (ours was 20 x 20cm), then spoon over the mashed potato, spreading it to the edges to cover. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar, then bake for 25-30 mins until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the cheese is golden. Remove from the oven and scatter over the chives to serve, if using. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 563 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 12g • carbs 55g • sugars 12g • fibre 11g • protein 21g • salt 2.6g
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MAY 2026 goodfood.com 115
May 15 -1 7 2 02 6 JOIN US FOR A THREE-DAY CELEBRATION OF FOOD, FLAVOUR, CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY! From soil and sea to plate, explore the journey of exceptional food. A vibrant weekend of flavour, connections and unforgettable experiences in East Cork, Ireland.
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KNOW in the
p118 NEXT LEVEL CHEESE SCONES
p121 DUMPLING DECODER
p126
BOOKS FOR COOKS MAY 2026 goodfood.com 117
NEXT LEVEL
cheese scones Perfect for a bank holiday picnic, skills editor Barney Desmazery takes this humble bake to new heights with a super-flaky pastry recipe photograph MAJA SMEND
Tips for a perfect scone
Scones are one of the easiest bakes, but truly great ones require a bit of know-how. Here, the dough is treated like rough puff pastry, folded and rolled to create flaky layers. Add to that, two types of cheese for bold flavour and savoury depth, plus a mix of flours for extra character. The result is a deeply cheesy scone that’s crumbly and crisp, especially on the underside, thanks to a baked cheese base.
FLAKING OUT
TIME TO CHILL
Grating then chilling the butter ensures everything stays properly cold, which makes it easier to distribute the butter through the dough. It releases steam when baked, creating lift and flaky layers rather than dense, cakey texture.
By resting the shaped scones in the fridge before baking, you give the butter time to firm up again. The extra chill helps them hold their shape and rise higher.
DIY BUTTERMILK Combining vinegar and milk makes a quick buttermilk substitute. This gentle acidity reacts with the baking powder for better rise and a subtle tang that sharpens the cheesy flavour.
FLOUR POWER The addition of rye or spelt flour brings nuttiness and depth of flavour that you won’t get from using plain flour alone. It’s a small change that creates more complex, bakery-style flavour. But, this is optional – no need to buy extra flour specifically for this recipe.
SAY CHEESE (TWICE) Mature cheddar is bold and creates melty pockets through the scone, while parmesan adds salty, umami savouriness and helps form that irresistible crispy crust.
118 goodfood.com MAY 2026
PLAY ROUGH Borrowing a rough puff pastry trick, the dough is stacked and rolled to create simple laminated layers. This gives the scones their tall rise and delicate, flaky texture.
DOUBLE THYME Fresh thyme adds an extra gentle savoury note that cuts through the richness of the cheeses. A little stirred through the dough helps flavour every bite, while a sprig on top perfumes the scones as they bake for extra depth.
SUBTLE SPICE Mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne or paprika don’t make the scones spicy, but they do quietly boost the cheese flavour, bringing warmth and depth, and making the savoury notes fully rounded.
in the know
MAKES 8 PREP 30 mins plus at least 1 hr chilling and cooling COOK 25 min MORE EFFORT V
150g cold butter 250g plain flour, plus a little extra 150ml milk, plus 2 tsp for brushing 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 50g rye or spelt flour (or use a total of 300g plain flour) 2 tsp baking powder large pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika 1 tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp thyme leaves, plus 9 small thyme sprigs 115g extra-mature cheddar 50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated 1 tsp Marmite (optional)
a little of the flour. Chill in the freezer for 30 mins, or in the fridge for 1 hr. If you have space, put another large bowl in the freezer or fridge to chill – the colder everything is, the crumblier the scones will be. Mix the milk and vinegar in a jug and chill for at least 10 mins. Tip both flours, the baking powder, cayenne or paprika, mustard powder, thyme leaves and 1 tsp salt into the large chilled bowl. Crumble 100g of the cheddar into pea-sized chunks. Finely grate the rest and set aside. 2 Tip the crumbled cheddar, half the parmesan and all the chilled grated butter into the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture. Bring everything together into a rough, shaggy dough using a cutlery knife – if there are still some small dry pockets, don’t worry; you also want specks of butter throughout the dough. 3 Tip the dough onto the work surface and bring together using your hands. Pat out into a rough rectangle, about 10 x 20cm. Cut the rectangle into three smaller rectangles, then stack them on top of each other. Roll out into a large rectangle again using a rolling pin, then repeat, cutting it into three rectangles again, stacking and rolling into a rough rectangle, about 10 x 15cm and 4cm tall (the height is more important than the other measurements). Cut in half down the middle, then into eight squares. Transfer the scones to a tray or plate and chill for 30 mins. 4 About 10 mins before baking, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 9 and mix 2 tsp milk with the Marmite, if using. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Scatter half the remaining parmesan and all the grated cheddar over the tray, then sit the scones on top. Brush the tops with the milk and Marmite mixture (or just milk, if you prefer), then scatter over the remaining parmesan and the thyme sprigs. Bake for 20-25 mins until the scones are deep golden brown and puffed up, and the cheese on the tray is crisp. Cool on the tray for 10 mins, then serve warm as is or slathered with butter. GOOD TO KNOW calcium PER SERVING 378 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 15g • carbs 30g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 11g • salt 1.64g
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 119
Shoot director LAURIE NEWMAN | Food stylist SEIKO HATFIELD | Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON | Portrait of Barney GABBY HARRINGTON
1 Coarsely grate the butter into a bowl and toss with
Photographs JUTTA CLEE, ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
the A.WONG KITCHEN
Chef Andrew Wong reveals the method behind well-loved Chinese dishes, having earned two Michelin stars for his London restaurant
T
he easiest way to explain Chinese cooking is through geography. In the south, where Cantonese cuisine developed, rice is the staple and the focus is on freshness, seafood and balance. When people in the UK think of Chinese food, they often think of Cantonese cooking. It’s one of the most respected cuisines in China. Historically, Cantonese chefs were considered among the most skilled and many were chosen to cook in the Forbidden Palace. 120 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Travel north and things change quite dramatically. Wheat replaces rice, so noodles, dumplings and breads are the backbone of cuisine, and the food is heartier to suit the colder climate. In Sichaun, central China, the flavours are bold and famous for the málà sensation created by Sichuan peppercorns. Further south-west, the cuisine is more aromatic, similar to Thailand or Vietnam. Then in Xinjiang, pork is replaced by lamb, breads, cumin and dishes cooked in tandoor-style ovens.
in the know
DUMPLING DECODER
what’s the one... …mistake most people make when stir-frying?
Not doing the mise en place before you start. In wok cookery, you’ve only got about 30 seconds to cook the dish, so if you’re prepping while cooking, it just doesn’t work. …technique that takes the home cook to the next level?
HAR GOW A classic shrimp dumpling filled with prawns, fat and seasoning. The delicate wheat and potato starch wrapper is semi-translucent and bouncy. SIU MAI (SHUMAI) An open-topped steamed dumpling made with a wheat and egg wrapper. Traditionally filled with pork and shrimp, it’s a classic dim sum dish. XIAO LONG BAO A Shanghai soup dumpling made with a high-gluten wheat wrapper. Inside is pork and gelatinised stock which melts when steamed, creating the burst of hot soup.
WONTON A dumpling made with a thin egg and wheat wrapper, usually filled with shrimp or pork. Often served in soup. CHIU CHOW FUN GOR A Teochew dumpling with a translucent rice flour wrapper. The filling often includes pork, peanuts and vegetables. GAU GEE A Cantonese dumpling usually filled with pork and prawns in wheat pastry and steamed or fried, served with chilli sauce.
Velveting (see left). It tenderises the protein and creates consistency in texture and mouthfeel, so even tougher cuts become silky and cook quickly in the wok. …province you recommend visiting for the food?
Start in Hong Kong for the breadth of Cantonese cuisine, then go to Sichuan for bold flavour. If you want to see modern Chinese cooking evolving, I’d also visit Hangzhou. …short-cut ingredient you use most?
Oyster sauce. It gives dishes a rounded savoury flavour and umami. It brings balance to sweet, sour or spicy dishes. …Chinese kitchen kit every kitchen should own?
A bamboo steamer lets you cook dumplings, fish and vegetables properly at home. …Anglo-Chinese mash-up you make most?
SUI GOW A large Cantonese boiled dumpling filled with prawns, pork and sometimes bamboo.
My cooking is already a mash-up of my heritage and where I’ve lived, so the whole menu is a blend of those influences. …thing you judge other Chinese restaurants by?
It depends on the dish. I’ll go to certain restaurants for dumplings, others for family-style Cantonese food.
The secret to silky soft meat
Velveting is about creating consistency. Different cuts of meat can have different levels of tenderness, so it brings everything to the same silky texture and mouthfeel. The first step is encouraging the meat to absorb water by agitating it. Then I add bicarbonate of soda, which is alkaline and helps break down the proteins, along with aromatics like soy sauce or rice wine. The meat is coated with egg white and a little starch to protect the surface. In many kitchens, it’s briefly passed through hot oil, so it cooks in seconds in the wok.
WORKING WITH DRIED EGG NOODLES There aren’t really strict rules about making them crispy – it’s more about the texture you want in the dish. I like using thin noodles if I’m pan-frying them. First I boil them until just cooked, then drain. We never rinse them in cold water, because it leaves too much moisture and ruins the texture when you stir-fry them. Instead, I spread them out on a cloth, drizzle lightly with oil and let them air-dry so they stay separated. Then you can press them into a pan with oil and cook them like a pancake, so they turn crisp outside while staying soft inside.
Andrew Wong is chef and owner of the twoMichelin-starred A.Wong restaurant in London awong.co.uk | @awongsw1 | @a.wong_londonuk
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 121
Bank holidays sorted! T
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Valid for new customers, 18+ only, one use per household. The voucher code 30OFF can be used only once and cannot be used with any other offers. 30% off when you spend £95 or more. Maximum discount of £100. Excludes branded Champagne (Bollinger, Laurent-Perrier, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Moët & Chandon, Piper-Heidsieck, Pol Roger) and Presell. Valid until midnight 30/6/2026. See laithwaites.co.uk/terms for full terms and conditions, and our privacy policy. Laithwaites is operated by Direct Wines Ltd. Registered in England and Wales (No 1095091). One Waterside Drive, Arlington Business Park, Theale, Reading, RG7 4SW. Unless otherwise stated, all wines contain sulphites. Savings based on individual bottle price. We reserve the right to reject any order for the repeated or fraudulent use of the voucher code.
in the know
TRIED & TRUSTED
5 hot frying pans Ultra-durable and great for high-heat cooking, a stainless steel pan will help you cook like a pro words NATALIE BASS Best for batch-cooking
KUHN RIKON ALLROUND This stainless steel pan’s 5.5cm depth makes it great for tossing ingredients. It comes in four sizes (20-32cm) and is metal-utensil-safe, dishwashersafe, induction-compatible and oven-safe to 240C. In test, our caramelised onions were a little brown and crispy, which suggests the pan conducts heat more than the others we tested, but our seared steak and fried eggs were cooked to perfection. Available from Kuhn Rikon (from £39.95)
Best if splashing out
LE CREUSET SIGNATURE If you have a bit of money to spend, this stainless steel pan from Le Creuset is a great choice. It’s available in four sizes and we loved its curved sides and easy-grip handle. On test, it was the quickest to caramelise onions, producing rich, sticky results in just 35 minutes on a low heat. Available from Le Creuset (from £145)
Best all-rounder
PROCOOK PROFESSIONAL BI-PLY Available in three sizes (20-28cm), this pan is induction-compatible, oven-safe up to 260C and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. We used it to sear the perfect medium-rare steak and it did just that – the meat had an excellent sear with subtle browning. Available from ProCook (from £45)
Best for budget
M&S X TOM KERRIDGE Designed by chef Tom Kerridge in collaboration with M&S, this lightweight pan helped us cook the perfect rare steak. There are three sizes available – 20cm, 24cm and 28cm – and with a 7cm depth, it’s great for tossing food with zero risk of spillage. The flat handle stays cool, too, but be warned that the surface retains a lot of heat, even when cooking at low temperatures. Available from M&S (from £25)
ZWILLING PRO
HOW WE CONDUCT OUR REVIEWS
Made with robust 18/10 stainless steel, this pan produced the best fried egg on test, with an oozing yolk and no sticking. Available in four sizes, it has a 5cm depth, making it ideal for cooking saucier dishes, too. The handle stays cool and has a hollow design, which means it’s relatively lightweight, plus the pan was quick to react to temperature changes. Available from Zwilling (from £79.95)
We test and research a range of products in each category to ensure every budget is represented. Products must meet criteria to be shortlisted, including nationwide availability through an online retailer. Shortlists for testing always include a minimum of 10 products. Test matrices have specified testing criteria, including sustainability, energy usage and packaging.
Best for versatility
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 123
HOLIDAYS
Save on holidays to Croatia and Andalucía With half-board and included excursions
Buy one get one half-price
Four-star Croatia’s Istrian Riviera Eight days, departing in May, June, September & October 2026 First person from £1,499; Second person now from £749.50 using voucher code GFHALF (offer expires 22 May 2026)
Four-star classical Spain & Andalucía Eight days, departing in September & October 2026 First person price from £1,599; Second person now from £799.50 using voucher code GFHALF (offer expires 22 May 2026)
Discover Croatia’s Istrian Riviera on the Adriatic where island-dotted coastlines meet historic villages. Based in charming Poreč, enjoy seaside strolls and curated excursions, with half-board dining.
With year-round sunshine and striking landscapes, Andalucía remains a perennial favourite. This escorted journey combines Seville’s grandeur, Granada’s Moorish splendour and Córdoba’s Mezquita with Ronda’s dramatic clifftop setting – plus half-board dining.
Your escorted holiday includes ● Excursions to Pula and Rovinj
Your escorted holiday includes
● Excursion to Krk Island
● Excursions to Seville, Granada, Ronda and Córdoba
● Wine-tasting
● Entrance and guided tour of the Alhambra Palace gardens
● Visit to Slovenia including Postojna Cave and
● Wine-tasting
Predjama Castle ● Seven nights’ half-board accommodation in a four-star hotel ● En-suite twin/double rooms ● Return flights, luggage and hotel transfers ● Services of a Mistral Holidays Tour Manager ● ATOL protected
● Seven nights’ half-board accommodation with evening
Accommodation Stay at the modern four-star Valamar Parentino Hotel, set in gardens just 200 metres from the Adriatic and Blue Flag pebble beach. Features include a buffet restaurant, bar, sun terrace and seasonal outdoor pool, plus stylish en-suite rooms with balcony, satellite TV and wifi.
dinner including a glass of wine or mineral water ● Return flights to Malaga, luggage and hotel transfers ● Services of a Mistral Holidays Tour Manager ● ATOL protected
Accommodation Stay at the four-star Hotel Antequera Hills, within walking distance of the centre of Antequera. Features include gardens, terrace, bar and restaurant, seasonal outdoor pool, and wellappointed en-suite rooms with satellite TV. (For Alhambra visits, named entrance tickets must be secured at least 10 weeks prior to departure.)
TO BOOK OR FOR MORE INFORMTION Visit mistralholidays.co.uk/gf OR CALL 01352 756 864 and quote GFHALF(Monday-Friday 10am to 5pm) TERMS & CONDITIONS Operated by Mistral Holidays (ABTA V0669, ATOL 6900). Subject to availability and full T&Cs. Prices are per person based on two sharing; single room supplements apply and flight supplements apply from some airports and dates. Discount valid on new air holiday bookings only, applies to the base holiday price (excludes supplements), cannot be combined with other offers, and expires 22 May 2026. Prices correct at time of printing but subject to change and confirmed at time of booking; alternative hotels of the same standard may be used if required. See website for T&Cs, latest pricing and holiday details.
124 goodfood.com MAY 2026
in the know
TRIED & TRUSTED
Recommended Our favourite food and drink buys this month words LUCY ROXBURGH
For a zero-waste condiment
RUBIES IN THE RUBBLE MUSTARD An American-style smooth and golden mustard that has a clever secret ingredient: sweet potatoes that would otherwise have gone to waste. £2.50 (285ml), delli.market
For the storecupboard
RIO MARE TUNA FILLETS With dense pink fillets packed in olive oil, this MSC-certified Italian tuna has a pure, savoury flavour. Choose regular for a niçoise or spiked with lemon or chilli for an extra flavour kick. £7.40 (3 x 65g cans), Ocado
For pickle addicts
CULTJAR GIARDINIERA This Italian relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar and oil packs a serious punch – it’s tangy and fiery from chillies. Add to sandwiches, salads or even pizza toppings for an instant lift. £9.50 (375g), cultjar.co.uk
For easy dinners
LOVE SUM HOISIN DUCK DUMPLINGS Co-founded by MasterChef finalist Sandy Tang, Love Sum have a range of dumpling flavours and styles to choose from. The hoisin duck is our favourite – rich and savoury. Steam for a light meal or pan-fry until the sides are crispy and golden. £4.95 (200g), Sainsbury’s
For an elevated soft drink
Prices correct at time of printing
AQUA LIBRA BLOOD ORANGE & MANGO SPARKLING WATER We’re always on the hunt for new soft drinks to try and these sugar-free sparkling waters are a great option when you don’t want something too sweet. The blood orange and mango flavour is our favourite: it’s refreshing, tart and tropical. £3.80 (4 x 330ml cans), Waitrose
For tiramisu fans
HAAGEN-DAZS TIRAMISU ICE CREAM Tiramisu has been having a renaissance and this tastes impressively like the classic pud, with a mascarpone base swirled with coffee and sponge pieces. £5.95 (420ml), Morrisons
For a sweet treat
For fruity gin cocktails
TRÜ FRÜ - NATURE’S STRAWBERRIES, WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE
ENGLISH HERITAGE BLACKBERRY & ROSEHIP GIN
We can’t stop snacking on these. Frozen strawberries are coated in layers of creamy white and dark chocolate for a moreish sweet treat. £6.10 (200g), Tesco
This uses English garden botanicals like sloes, nettles and elderflower to give hedgerow aromas alongside juicy blackberries. £40 (70cl), english-heritageshop.org.uk
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 125
BOOKS
for
COOKS Our resident reviewer Fiona Forman tries making traditional Turkish dumplings from Istanbul by Özlem Warren and casts her eye over other new titles Connecting Asia and Europe, Istanbul’s cuisine is a brilliantly diverse blend of East and West, with influences from the Med, Asia and the Middle East. Among others, Syrian, Greek, Armenian and Kurdish migrants have also helped shape its street-food scene, introducing dishes such as fatteh (a layered pitta and yogurt dish), grilled octopus, tzatziki and dolma (stuffed vine leaves). Turkish food writer Özlem says, “For me, what makes Istanbul unique is the rich variety of food the city offers, and the fact that it’s often a blend of various traditions. Depending on where you choose to eat, you can be offered mantı, which are dumplings of Turkish Nomadic origin; the Ottoman-era classic hünkar beğendi [lamb stew served over aubergine purée]; a spread of multicultural meze; as well as Circassian chicken [chicken in a garlicky walnut sauce], grilled fish or kebabs.” Kebabs are the most popular part of Turkish cuisine, but in her book, Özlem proves there’s much more to it, from menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs), koftes and pilafs, to baklava and chocolate mosaic cake. All the recipes are easy to make for busy home cooks, and there are shortcut ideas to save time, including cheat’s mantı (opposite). A Turkish classic, mantı are dumplings stuffed with beef mince and served with garlicky yogurt and spiced oil, but Özlem cleverly scraps the lengthy process of making dumplings and instead serves conchiglie pasta with lightly spiced ragu, which results in a far easier version. It’s just as comforting and delicious, topped with the signature yogurt sauce and spiced oil. 126 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Recipe extracted from Istanbul by Özlem Warren (£28, Quadrille). Photographs by Sam A Harris.
What makes Istanbul unique is the rich variety of food the city offers, and the fact that it’s often a blend of various traditions
in the know
Yoğurtlu, kıymalı makarna (Cheat’s mantı) I love mantı, but when I’m short of time, I make this cheat’s version using shell-shaped conchiglie pasta (which holds the sauce well and also resembles mantı). Kıymalı makarna is a staple in many households in Istanbul, including ours; it can also be found in eateries that serve home-style food. Topped with garlicky yogurt and spiced oil, it’s absolutely delicious and delivers comforting mantı vibes in considerably less time. SERVES 4-5 PREP 10 mins plus resting COOK 40 mins EASY
Good Food recommends
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 small carrot, finely diced 2 sivri biber or 1 medium green pepper, deseeded and finely diced 450g beef or lamb mince 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 200g can chopped tomatoes 1 tsp ground cumin small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 400g dried conchiglie or pasta of your choice (use gluten-free, if preferred) For the garlic yogurt 400g full-fat Turkish or Greek yogurt 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped For the spiced oil 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp pul biber 2 tsp dried mint
Feel Good Gluten Free by Becky Excell (£22, Quadrille) Looking to eat better while still avoiding gluten? Becky Excell is back with her eighth cookbook, and this one is all about ditching convenience foods and eating healthier, focusing on high-protein options, healthy fats and gluten-free sources of fibre. She has all bases covered – energyboosting breakfasts, one-pot meals, fakeaways and bakes and puds, so you don’t have to miss out.
1 About 40 mins before you plan to serve, take the yogurt out of the fridge and put in a bowl. Stir in the garlic, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Cover and set aside to bring to room temperature. 2 Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 5 mins, then stir in the carrot and pepper and fry for 2-3 mins more. Add the mince and garlic, and fry for 4-5 mins until the meat is browned, stirring continuously. 3 Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and 200ml water, swirling a little of the water in the can to get any remaining bits of tomato. Season with the cumin, some salt and black pepper, stir to combine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occasionally. The sauce will have thickened; check the seasoning and add more if needed. Stir in the parsley and turn off the heat. 4 About 10 mins before the meat sauce has finished cooking, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then tip in the pasta and cook following pack instructions. Drain the pasta, then return to the pan and drizzle over a little olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick. 5 For the spiced oil, heat the olive oil in a pan over a low-medium heat, stir in the pul biber and dried mint, and simmer to infuse for 35-40 seconds. 6 Divide the pasta between serving bowls. Ladle over three to four spoonfuls of the meat sauce, then scatter over dollops of garlic yogurt. Drizzle over some of the spiced olive oil and serve immediately. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (5) 785 kcals • fat 40g • saturates 14g • carbs 68g • sugars 11g • fibre 7g • protein 34g • salt 0.39g
Centrepiece by Helen Graham (£28, Hamlyn) Helen’s worked at some of London’s top Middle Eastern restaurants – including Ottolenghi’s Test Kitchen – and in her debut cookbook, she shares 100 Middle Eastern and North African recipes, which all make veg the star. This is bold, modern and exciting vegetarian cooking – think celeriac & curried burnt butter, leek, mushroom & miso skewers, and halloumi & ricotta fritters with lemon syrup. MAY 2026 goodfood.com 127
18ñ21 June 2026 NEC, BIRMINGHAM
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Shake, taste and immerse yourself in interactive workshops, perfect for getting hands-on in foodie fun! A fantastic day out awaits you at the Good Food Show Summer, filled with inspiration at every turn. Watch top culinary stars live on stage, get shopping from hundreds of producers, lunch at the Good Food Restaurant and get outdoor living ideas in BBC Gardeners’ World Live. Roll up your sleeves in special workshops and fun immersive experiences. Shake things up at the NEW Princess Cruises Cocktail Club, with your host
Andy Clarke, or discover your newest favourite bites at the Fabulous Food Finds tasting theatre, with themes including sweet treats, coffee, cheese, BBQ essentials and more to enjoy. Plus, NEW this year, step outside for the Monolith BBQ School, part of the NEW Smoke & Fire Festival, where you’ll master live-fire cooking and even cook your own flame-kissed lunch. Book your tickets and grab your spot today!
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A line-up of global producers awaits you. Try Terra Delyssa’s premium Tunisian extra virgin olive oil, Kikkoman’s iconic Japanese soy sauce or indulge in French flair with Saveurs & Traditions, offering charcuterie, wines and regional delicacies.
Turn up
Summer
Fire up your summer cooking with standout must-haves. Discover Gourmet Tallow’s rich wagyu beef tallow spray that’s perfect for elevating any dish, Dust Bros’ bold, handmade seasonings and add flavour to every bite with Harringtons salad dressings, ideal for salads, meats and summer feasts.
Serve sunshine in every glass and find refreshing new pours to entertain this summer. Look forward to meeting the makers behind Pomme Blushe’s crisp apple aperitif, Shandy Shack’s low-alcohol lagers and shandies, Glenrinnes’ expertly crafted organic spirits and more as you taste, sample and cheers to the summer ahead.
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LOCAL HEROES
In a new podcast series co-produced by Immediate and Antidote, regular people reveal how they’ve made a remarkable impact on their communities and the planet
130 goodfood.com MAY 2026
THE FARM THAT’S OWNED BY 8,000 PEOPLE Sister-and-brother duo Charlotte and Ben Hollins rallied thousands of people to save their organic family farm in Shropshire, creating a community ownership model that is now growing with a second site. Charlotte tells their story:
I
grew up at Fordhall Farm in Market Drayton. My brother Ben and I are the fourth generation of our family to farm this 140-acre site – our late father, Arthur, took over the tenancy in 1929 at just 14 years old. Back then, chemical fertilisers were promoted as miracle yield boosters, but Dad found that they depleted the nutrients in our sandy soil over time, weakening crops. Inspired by woodland, Dad trialled what he called ‘foggage farming’. He planted over 70 species of grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees, creating
a resilient system that let cattle graze year-round. The diversity rebuilt the soil’s health, provided natural vitamins and antivirals, reduced vet bills and cut our climate impact while producing nutritious food more affordably. Despite Dad’s success, as tenant farmers, we were vulnerable. In the 1990s, our landlord issued eviction notices, hoping to sell the land for development. We fought it in court, but legal fees drained our resources. The farm deteriorated, livestock had to be sold and, in 2004, we faced a final
Photographs OLIVER ALLAN, JET PRODUCTIONS AND BLUE FOX PHOTOGRAPHY
Ordinary people, extraordinary ideas
12-month eviction. At the time, Dad was in his 80s and exhausted. Ben and I, then in our late teens and early 20s, converted a lean-to into a shop selling sausages to the public. We made £50 in our first weekend – a fortune to us! To survive, we took off-farm jobs and began involving the community through volunteer weekends and events, slowly building support. After Dad’s passing, locals told us they wanted to keep the farm, but not farm it themselves – so Ben stepped up. We formed the Fordhall Community Land Initiative and sold £50 non-profit making shares. The landlord gave us first refusal for £800,000, but by the time we were legally incorporated, we had six months to raise the money. Through thousands of small contributions, we secured the land in 2006. Today, 8,000 shareholders from around the world own Fordhall Organic Farm, forming an engaged community of ordinary people who care. Ben has a 100-year tenancy and farms using Dad’s methods, selling everything direct through his farm and online shops, strengthening local food security. Last year, he won the Golden Fork for Sustainability from the Guild of Fine Food. I now work for the Fordhall Community Land Initiative. We run community and conservation projects on-site and, last year, the society announced it was to be gifted another farm. Over 80 per cent of our members recently voted to expand our
influence nationally. So, as we celebrate 20 years of community ownership, we’re committed to using our learnings to support similar models. Research shows this approach aligns with UK pathways for stronger food resilience, benefitting farms, communities and the climate. But, the fight isn’t over. There’s still one 12-acre field that we’re trying to reclaim from the original landlord before they sell it for development. For us, it’s about empowering people to influence their own food future. We’ve proven that ordinary folk can reclaim land, ensuring sustainable food production remains for generations.
Food for thought • No experience needed Focus on what your community cares about and needs, then experiment. • Get people involved in ways that suit them Whether it’s donating £50 or spare office supplies, small actions from many will help you climb big mountains. Find out more • For more about Fordhall Farm, community ownership and becoming a shareholder, visit fordhallfarm.com • Check out the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission website to learn more about resilient farming ( ffcc.co.uk)
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 131
THE CHARITY TEACHING FOOD SKILLS AND SUSTAINABILITY
I
was brought up on canned things – my mum doesn’t cook at all, so ‘greenery’ was canned peas. Now, I love kale. At The Fifth Trust, we make kale crisps – we try to move away from just biscuits and cakes, and make healthier options for our students. When we’re teaching recipes, we focus on repetition and building up skills so students can try it at home. If we overcomplicate it, confusion can set in. When we’re making something new, I’ll ask, ‘How does that smell?’ We eat with our senses, so it’s nice to invoke that. One of our students, Hugh, might tell us that he ate this when his dad was alive – food pulls in memories, and we can capitalise on that, maybe asking, ‘Would you like to share more about that?’ We get about 75 per cent of our produce from our own garden. Laurence, our horticulture instructor, tries to keep it sustainable, so no chemicals, no dig. Anything we can’t use 132 goodfood.com MAY 2026
is sold in our garden centre or donated, and we also use our freezers a lot for storage. We help students understand where food comes from. They see veg with dirt on it and understand that it isn’t safe to use in that state, but when we’ve washed it, the skin will be good, because it won’t have any chemicals on it. We even make crisps with the peelings. Winter was hard this year – it was so wet – but now it’s warmer, Laurence will send down herbs and we make pesto for the café. We also have lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes, beetroot and peas. Some of our students come in wheelchairs, and the kitchen isn’t very accessible – they can be at the tables, but not at the cooker, so we want to upgrade. We’d also love to produce an accessible cookbook with pictures and symbols that make it easier for people in the learning-disabled community.
Photographs THE FIFTH TRUST
Andrea Devine-Clark is a cook club instructor at The Fifth Trust, a charity that supports adults with learning disabilities in Elham Valley, Kent. The students can also get involved in growing veg, tending the vineyard and working in the café.
Food for thought • Don’t rule out veg you dislike Try cooking it differently or combining it with spices. Look for inspiration in cookbooks, magazines and online. • Reduce food waste Use carrot tops in pesto, turn parsnip peelings into crisps and add roasted squash seeds to salad. • The compost heap is ‘the engine of your garden’ Laurence says that even the smallest garden can fit in a compost heap. All you need is a mixture of browns that have high carbon content (like dead leaves) and greens that are high in nitrogen (like veg scraps). • Start with potatoes or low-maintenance perennials ...like blackberries, if you’re new to gardening. Brassicas like cabbages and broccoli are easy to grow but hard to keep alive – you’ll need to cover them with nets. Above all, grow the things you want to eat. Find out more • For more information about The Fifth Trust, visit fifthtrust.co.uk
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 133
THE GREENGROCERS BRINGING FOOD BACK TO THE HEART OF A TOWN In Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, Lee Robb helped create Carrick Greengrocers – a community-owned project that shows how local produce can revive towns.
I
grew up in Carrickfergus and, like many of my generation, left it. When I returned years later, I barely recognised the place – unemployment had risen and the high street felt hollowed out. For a long time, I didn’t feel able to do much about it. I was a single parent commuting into Belfast for work and feeling disconnected from the place where I lived. But, when my daughter left home and I was made redundant in my early 40s, I began asking myself, ‘Where do I want to live, and what do I want to contribute?’ I talked to neighbours and community groups, asking one simple question: what would you like Carrick to feel like? People were ready to talk – in fact, it felt as though everyone had just been waiting for someone to ask. To keep the conversation going, I set up a Facebook group, Positive Carrickfergus, which turned into action. We organised a shared lunch in the town hall, for which 14 women volunteered to cook. More than 100 people came and many passersby wandered in. During lockdown, we delivered postcards to 10,000 homes, asking residents what they wanted for Carrick. The desire for a livelier high street came up again and again, but so did food. People spoke fondly about the greengrocers that once lined the town centre. The big
supermarkets had pulled people away from the town centre, but there was a shared belief that Carrickfergus could support something better. Slowly, the idea of a community-owned greengrocers took shape. We raised money through a community share offer, inviting people to co-own the project with what they could afford. We hoped to raise £25,000, but reached £34,000. Eight months later, Carrick Greengrocers opened its doors. In our first week, we expected takings of about £620, but we took £10,000 – it was a shock, but also validation. A big part of our success comes from how we source food: we work closely with a local market gardener just over a mile away, selling chemical-free, no-dig produce that’s harvested in the morning and on the shelves the same day. Customers taste the difference and value knowing where their food comes from. We focus on food quality, choice and a high street that feels alive. Climate benefits come with that: shorter supply chain, healthier soil and a more resilient food system. For me, the biggest lesson is vision. Decline isn’t inevitable – by looking around and asking what’s possible, you can start to tell a different story.
Food for thought • Start by listening Change doesn’t begin with a perfect plan, but with asking people what they want. • Work with what you have Skills, spaces and goodwill are often already there, just waiting to be connected. • Build something real Tangible, sustainable projects create trust, momentum and a sense of shared ownership. Find out more • Follow Carrick Greengrocers on Instagram @carrickgreengrocers
For a deeper dive into Carrick Greengrocers and Fordhall Farm, listen to ‘Screw This… Let’s Try Something Else’, a new podcast series co-produced by Immediate and Antidote. You’ll hear ordinary people share practical ways to respond to big challenges, from inequality and housing, to food systems and the climate crisis. Find out more at antidotelive.studio/ podcast or find a project near you at antidotelive.studio/near-you
134 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Photographs LEE ROBB
Listen and get involved
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A
s summer approaches, you’re probably looking forward to whipping up plenty of fresh salads, roasted seasonal vegetables, chilled soups and fruity desserts – which are even more satisfying to make when you’ve grown the ingredients yourself. But even if you try to minimise how much you throw away, you’ll no doubt still end up with peelings and plate scrapings – and that’s where HOTBIN comes in. With HOTBIN’s hot composters, you can reduce the amount of food waste going into landfill by turning it into compost that can support the growth of your next crop. So, if you want to make your food habits more sustainable, read on to discover how HOTBIN can help you make the most of every meal.
and vegetable peelings, meat, dairy, small bones, garden waste and more. It may even help you save money on trips to the garden centre, as homemade compost is great for improving soil quality and plant yields.
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The recipe for success With HOTBIN, food and garden waste becomes a resource, not rubbish – creating a continuous, closed-loop cycle: cook, eat, grow, repeat. To start using your HOTBIN, simply add your chopped waste to the top, combine it with shredded paper or cardboard to help control moisture levels and woody material to improve airflow, then remove the compost once it’s ready.
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No matter how little you have to work with, you can grow great ingredients for delicious recipes – that’s why we’ve teamed up with BBC Gardeners’ World to inspire you to ‘Make a Metre Matter’
Small space BIG DIFFERENCE H
erbs are a great plant for squeezing into even tiny spaces, and give the strongest flavour for the least amount of effort and growing space required. Plus, they bring freshness to everything from salads and stews to cocktails. And, for most herb plants, the more you snip, the more they keep producing!
BAY
ROSEMARY
THYME
PLANT Apr-Sept HARVEST Jan-Dec STORE Use fresh, or dry out in an airing cupboard
PLANT Mar-May, Sep-Nov HARVEST Jan-Dec STORE Use fresh, or dry out in an airing cupboard
PLANT Mar-May, Sep-Nov HARVEST Jan-Dec STORE Dried or add to oil or vinegar
Bay is essential in herb gardens – its leaves add plenty of flavour to curries. Plant in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun near a south- or west-facing wall to provide shelter. In cooler areas, grow in a pot and move indoors at the end of autumn. Prune in summer and cut back in spring. In pots, plant in soil-based compost with grit, ensure there are drainage holes and add crocks at the base – don’t let the compost dry out, but do let excess water drain, as too much will rot roots. Reduce watering in winter and feed with liquid feed every few weeks in spring/summer. Repot every two or three years – if the plant is too big, scrape off the top layer of compost and replace with fresh. 136 goodfood.com MAY 2026
Rosemary provides evergreen interest to your garden, fragrant leaves for cooking with and even flowers for bees in spring. Position in well-drained soil in full sun. Young plants suffer if their roots are in wet soil in winter, so grow in a container for a couple of years before planting in the garden. Cut back annually after flowering to prevent it from becoming woody (save trimmings to propagate new plants or dry for cooking). Mulch in autumn with leaf mould, well-rotted compost or manure. It does well in pots in soil-based, peat-free compost – add crocks to the bottoms for drainage. Keep well watered in dry spells and feed with fertiliser during the growing season. In cold winters, bring under cover for protection.
There are many thyme varieties to choose from. Leaves vary from dark green to variegated and yellow, and many produce flowers. Plant in full sun (this brings the oils to the surface of the leaves and creates good flavour) in free-draining soil or compost, and water in. Once established, you won’t need to water – it thrives in near-drought conditions with minimal soil nutrients, so won’t grow well alongside other herbs in a pot. Trim after flowering to promote new growth and more leaves to harvest. If you don’t trim, plants become woody and need replacing after three years. If you’re growing in a pot, feed weekly from March to May with liquid seaweed. Leaves can be picked year round, but are best in early summer before flowering.
USE YOUR HARVEST Herb oil focaccia SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins plus overnight chilling and 2 hrs proving COOK 40 mins MORE EFFORT V
200g strong white bread flour 15g fine sea salt 75ml herb oil (see below), plus extra for kneading and brushing coarse sea salt, for sprinkling For the starter 15g sachet fast-action dried yeast 300g strong white bread flour For the herb oil bunch of rosemary bunch of thyme 5g bay leaves 500ml extra virgin olive oil To serve herb oil, for dipping (optional)
1 First, make the starter. Mix the yeast with 100ml lukewarm water in a small bowl, and leave for 5 mins until bubbling. Tip the flour into a large bowl and pour in the yeast mixture and 250ml lukewarm water. Combine vigorously using your hand for a few minutes. (The dough will be very wet, but don’t worry – you’ll add more flour later.) Cover tightly and chill for at least 12 hrs, or ideally overnight. 2 Meanwhile, make the herb oil. Reserve about 2-3 sprigs each of the rosemary and thyme, plus a few bay leaves. Bash the rest of the herbs using a pestle and mortar (or rolling pin) to release the oils,
then pack into a large sterilised bottle or glass jar (or divide between smaller jars). Heat the oil in a pan until just warm, then carefully pour into the bottle or jar using a heatproof funnel. Leave to cool before sealing. Will keep chilled for a week. 3 Take the starter out of the fridge 1 hr before making your focaccia – it should have risen considerably. Mix in 200g flour, the fine sea salt and herb oil until soft and slightly sticky. Knead the dough with a little more herb oil for 5 mins until smooth and springy. Put in a clean bowl and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hr. 4 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and oil a deep baking tray (20 x 30cm). Turn the dough out into the tray and press into a rectangle about 2cm thick. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size, about another hour. 5 Once risen, press dimples all over the surface of the dough using your fingers. Brush over more herb oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Fill a shallow tray with water and put on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake the focaccia on the shelf above for 25 mins until golden, reducing the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 if the bread starts to brown too quickly. Scatter over the reserved herbs and bake for another 10-15 mins until the bread is cooked through and the herbs are crispy. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve with more of the herb oil for dipping, if you like. PER SERVING (8) 301 kcals • fat 9g • saturates 1g • carbs 45g • sugar 1g • fibre 2g • protein 7g • salt 1.9g
Photographs SARAH CUTTLE, ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Make a
Metre Grow herbs in just one metre Matter Join our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World to transform just one In partnership with
metre of space into a productive herb garden for you and the planet
Supported by
The Make a Metre Matter campaign is all about dedicating a small area to gardening for the good of our planet – and a single square metre is ideal for growing herbs. Not only will they flavour your recipes, they’re also great for pollinators. Last year’s campaign transformed 15,523 square metres and, in 2026, BBC Gardeners’ World is working in partnership with 30x30 UK, the national
campaign to secure 30 per cent of the UK’s land and sea for nature by 2030. It’s also supported by Ecotalk, the world’s first mobile network to use its profits to fund nature. As part of Make a Metre Matter, Ecotalk will restore wildflower meadows across their land holdings this year, joining forces with everyone who registers as part of the campaign in the mission to enhance nature.
Find out more and pledge your herbal metre at gardenersworld.com/make-a-metre-matter
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 137
G R E AT ES CA PES
A HIGHLAND GETAWAY Enjoy fine Scottish produce and outdoor pursuits at The Torridon, a hotel converted from a 19th-century shooting lodge words NATALIE HARDWICK
T
he Torridon is a thoroughly Scottish hidden gem, inland from popular Skye and accessed via a single-track road. The former shooting lodge, built in 1887, is as remote as you can get. Located on the lapping shore of Loch Torridon and surrounded by ancient munros (mountains), it’s the kind of landscape seen in paintings and on screen (The Traitors is filmed nearby). An open fire, stags’ heads and wood panelling in the reception set the tone. While the period features have been lovingly preserved, there are pops of modern styling – colourful glass,
138 goodfood.com MAY 2026
flamboyant floral fabrics, plush velvet sofas and a patchwork of wall art. Rooms are big and bold; our suite had a carved wood four-poster bed and mini bar laden with Tunnock’s tea cakes. Downstairs, guests can relax in the Whisky Bar, where nearly 300 spirits are displayed in three towering rows of a mirrored corner bar. Guided tastings allow you to sample the area’s scotch offering, plus the Torridon’s own whisky and gin, made with botanicals taken from the hotel’s kitchen garden. The 1887 restaurant – awarded a Michelin star in February – is the hotel’s culinary crown jewel, with Danny Young’s tasting menu offering a journey through local ingredients.
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Photographs THE TORRIDON, JOHN PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY
While the period features have been lovingly preserved, there are pops of modern styling
Centred around seasonal Scottish produce (one constant being the hand-dived scallops and langoustines, taken from Loch Torridon a few metres away), highlights on our menu included Highland venison with pickled walnut ketchup, truffle & artichoke, langoustine with vadouvan curry, raw scallop with yuzu, and a layered damson & whipped goat’s cheese dessert. In a nod to Danny’s Lancashire roots, one of the bar snacks is a refined take on a cheese & onion pie, with a dusting of Mrs Kirkham’s cheese. A short walk from the main hotel in an atmospheric cabin building is Bo & Muc, the hotel’s casual dining option. Again, it’s a case of local legends served with
love: crowd-pleasing fish & chips and a buttery trio of scallops and Cullen skink. A drink in the Beinn Bar next door is a cosy experience – open fires, soft-focus colours and a range of cocktails (any of which can be made into a mocktail), plus a long, varied wine list. Striking out into the Highlands via Torridon Outdoors, enjoy mountainbiking, clay pigeon shooting, guided walks, hill scrambling and kayaking, all within the grounds of – or a small distance away from – the hotel. We hiked with a guide around the Shieldaig peninsula, where we spotted a recumbent otter in the sea. This is a spot that is brimming with character and life.
HOW TO BOOK Rooms from £465 per night for a classic room, including breakfast. thetorridon.com
8 FOODS TO TRY IN THE HIGHLANDS Chef Danny Young compiled a guide to the region’s best eats for our April issue, and at: goodfood.com/howto/ guide/8-foods-to-try-inthe-scottish-highlands
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 139
T H R EE O F T H E B EST
BEACH DAYS
IN THE SOUTH-EAST With fantastic seafood, pretty coastlines and fun activities, the British seaside offers a great day out words LAURA MARTIN
W
hen the temperature rises inland, sometimes a dip in a city swimming pool just won’t cut it – you need to escape to the beach. Many are doable as a day trip, meaning you’re just a hop, skip and wave-jump away from a swim in the sea and a fish & chip supper.
ALDEBURGH On the Suffolk coast, Aldeburgh is a charming spot to spend the day. While not quite as easy to get to as the other beaches here (the nearest train station is 17 miles away), it’s worth the trip. Alongside a gorgeous shingle beach, it’s also a hub for arts, culture and food. Visit at the end of September, and you can browse the stalls at its annual Food & Drink Festival – a celebration of local produce with tons of tasters available to try. June’s focus is on The Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts, now in its 77th year. But, simply enjoying the wild coastline of Suffolk is a joy in itself. A walk along it will take you by pastel-coloured houses up to a giant shell sculpture, where the fishermen haul in the daily catch. Enjoy seafood at one of the awardwinning chippies and cabins on the seafront, like Ash Smoked Fishes, or at a smarter restaurant like The Suffolk, where nearby Maldon oysters are shucked alongside grilled native oysters and served with garlic butter. Try the fish and chips at Aldeburgh Fish & Chips or The Golden Galleon.
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The wild coastline of Suffolk is a joy in itself
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS, MARCIN ROGOZINSKI/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Photographs BLUE SKY IN MY POCKET/STOCKBYTE UNRELEASED/GETTY, ISTOCK EDITORIAL,
BRIGHTON Many a Londoner’s go-to beach, and it’s no wonder, given the ease and frequency of trains that take you from the city to Brighton in just an hour. The beach – about a 10-minute walk from the station – is a sprawling, pebbly shoreline, with a great selection of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops for a couple of miles. Check out seafood shack Sea Haze for freshly shucked oysters and cockles, or The Brighton Smokehouse for chunky crab sandwiches (or, opt for fish fingers) opposite, as well as playgrounds and skate parks for the kids. Walking further up the coast towards Hove and the Hove Lagoon brings you to the Big Beach Café, where you can get sandwiches, burgers and chips while the kids play in the splash park next door. Watersports are on offer in the small lagoon, while next door, you can shop for excellent local seafood at Brighton and Newhaven Fish Sales.
WHITSTABLE Like the many oysters for which this small fishing town is famous, Whitstable is the pearl of the south-east coast. From the train station, it’s about a 10-minute walk down to the main beach, where colourful shops offer sweet treats like fudge and cupcakes. Look out
for the iconic pink-fronted Wheelers Oyster Bar, which is worth the journey in itself. Whether you’re looking for a beach picnic takeaway or gourmet, three-course lunch inside the historic restaurant, the oysters are the musthave signature dish here. For a beach day trip, lay down your picnic blankets on the Tankerton side of the bay – framed by grassy dunes – then walk back down to the harbour to try more seafood treats at The Lobster Shack. Then, for a ‘creative’ ice cream to finish things off, head to Bears Ice Cream Imaginarium and allow yourself to go wild with the toppings.
MAY 2026 goodfood.com 141
HOLIDAYS
Two irresistible foodie tours of Iberia Taste your way through this scenic region, with renowned vineyards, historic kitchens and unforgettable culinary experiences to savour Flavours of the Douro Eight days from £1,775pp Departs May-October 2026 A flavour-packed journey along the Douro River, celebrating Portugal’s culinary heritage and world-class wines. Begin in Porto with port cellar tastings before exploring vineyard-draped valleys, traditional bakeries and local quintas rich in regional produce.
Historic Paradores of Hidden Spain – Premier Collection Eight days from £2,139pp Departs June-October 2026 Stay in elegant, historic paradores and explore northern Spain’s dramatic landscapes, pilgrimage cities and regional gastronomy. Follow ancient camino routes to Santiago de Compostela while enjoying local food and fine wines across Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia and Castilla y León.
Highlights and inclusions ● Seven nights’ four-star dinner, plus bed & breakfast;
Highlights and inclusions
Porto (two nights), Longroiva (two nights), Tabuaço (two nights), Povoa de Varzim (one night) ● ‘Six Bridges’ cruise on the Douro River ● Five wine tastings and port cellar experience ● Guided city tour of Porto ● Guided tour of Viseu ● Douro superior villages excursion with tastings ● Visits to a traditional adega, bakery demo and tasting, sparkling wine cellar in Lamego plus ham and cheese tasting, Regua and Aveiro canal cruise ● Quinta lunch with tasting and host talk ● Excursion to Vila Real, Casa de Mateus and Guimarães ● Return flights to Porto, coach travel and transfers ● Fully escorted by an experienced tour manager
● Seven nights’ B&B in historic paradores: Parador de
Limpias (two nights), Parador de Vilalba (three nights), Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada (two nights) ● Historic settings with distinctive regional cuisine and wines ● Tours to Santander, Gijón and Oviedo ● Excursions across Asturias and Galicia ● Visits to Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Lugo and León ● Scenic views of the Picos de Europa ● Four dinners showcasing regional food and wine ● Leisure time in Santo Domingo de la Calzada ● Small group touring (16-24 guests) ● Return flights to Bilbao, coach travel and transfers ● Fully escorted by a Premier Collection tour manager
TO REQUEST A BROCHURE OR TO BOOK Call 0303 330 0949 and quote GFM OR VISIT newmarketholidays.co.uk/gfm TERMS & CONDITIONS These holidays are organised and operated by Newmarket Holidays Ltd. ABTOT 5509. ATOL protected 2325. ABTA V7812. Standard phone charges apply. Prices correct at time of printing. Single supplements apply. Newmarket Holidays reserves the right to cancel, change or amend any tour.
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Photographs FOOD AND EATEN GOODS, SUBODH SATHE, HIREN RANPARA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, AJAY KAMPANI/E+/GETTY, ISTOCK/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS
8 T H I N G S TO T RY I N ...
BHAJIYA
CHAVANU
DAL VADA
FAFDA
If there’s one snack that can be enjoyed at any time of day, it’s bhajiya – crisp, golden fritters of potato, fresh fenugreek leaves or chillies dipped in a spiced gram flour batter and fried until golden brown. Grab a plateful for just 50Rs at Raipur Bhajiya House, where locals have gathered since 1933.
Often called ‘Bombay mix’ or namkeen, chavanu is a combination of crispy gram flour noodles, fried lentils, peanuts and puffed rice. Lightly salted and seasoned with bold spices, it’s perfect for snacking or adding a crunch to meals. Sample the countless variations near the Old Stock Exchange.
Crispy and golden on the outside, soft on the inside, dal vadas are deep-fried lentil balls spiced with green chillies, ginger and fresh herbs, served with deep-fried chillies and sliced red onions. Head to Ambika Dalvada, where you can buy around six for 50Rs and wash them down with a Thums Up (cola).
A breakfast classic, fafda are long, crunchy strips of spiced gram flour dough, deep-fried until perfectly crisp. If you’re coming into the city by overnight train, you’ll smell them before you see them. Stop by Oshwal café, where they’re served with tangy raw papaya sambharo (salad) and a ladle of thick kadhi (yogurt soup).
AHMEDABAD
Top eats in the largest city in Gujarat include crispy lentil balls and fudgy, melt-in-the-mouth sweets words URVASHI ROE
KHANDVI Delicate, tangy khandvi is made from a smooth batter of gram flour, salt and yogurt, which is cooked down, spread thinly, then rolled into spirals. A temper of mustard seeds, sesame seeds and fresh coconut completes the dish. Find them at Das Khaman House.
KITCHARI/ KICHEREE/KHICHDI This nourishing blend of rice and lentils can be served as a light, healing meal or enriched with vegetables and spices. It’s a staple in the Gujarati diet, and a dish of sustenance as well as tradition. Enjoy over 30 different varieties at Khichdi Etc.
MOHANTHAL
THALI
No visit to the city is complete without something sweet, and mohanthal is as good as it gets. Made from roasted gram flour, ghee and a lot of sugar, flavoured with cardamom and sprinkled with slivers of nuts, this fudge-like sweet is a must-try. Find them at Kandoi Sweet Shop.
An array of small bowls filled with dhals, salads, curries, pickles, sweets and breads come together to showcase the full spectrum of Gujarati flavours. Try Kamla Sewa café or treat yourself to an al fresco dinner at Vishalla, where you’ll be presented with no less than 40 bowls.
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THE TRIP LIST
PUB IN THE PARK
14-17 May This popular food festival is back with more demos from celebrity chefs, pop-up pubs and music from the likes of Craig David and McFly. Tickets: from £47 (adults) and £30 (ages 10-17); under-nines go free Location: Higginson Park, Marlow pubintheparkuk.com
Enjoy fantastic food, live music and beautiful blooms this month compiled by RACHEL GUNTER
THE MANCHESTER FLOWER FESTIVAL
23-25 May Experience the city in full bloom, with spectacular floral displays, installations, outdoor dining and entertainment. This year’s theme is ‘Green Manchester’, celebrating current and developing green spaces. Tickets: free Location: Manchester city centre visitmanchester.com/ the-manchesterflower-festival
BBC GARDENERS’ WORLD SPRING FAIR
1-3 May Be inspired by creative ideas for your garden and explore the beautiful grounds of Beaulieu. Plus, there’s expert advice and entertainment. Don’t forget to check out the Good Food Market. Tickets: from £19.50 Location: Beaulieu, Hampshire bbcgardenersworldlive.com/ spring-fair
144 goodfood.com MAY 2026
THE BALLYMALOE FESTIVAL OF FOOD
15-17 May Celebrate seasonality, sustainability and community in a series of immersive dining experiences, workshops and cooking demos. Tickets: from £15 (various packages available) Location: Ballymaloe, East County Cork, Ireland ballymaloefestivaloffood.com
FYNE FEST
29-31 May Organised by Scottish brewery Fyne Ales, this family-friendly festival offers escape with live music, incredible street food and plenty of beer. Tickets: from £35 (day and weekend tickets available) Location: Glen Fyne, Argyll, Scotland fynefest.com
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Get the best from our recipes We test them thoroughly to ensure they work for you Read the recipe before starting. Basic storecupboard ingredients, like salt, aren’t included in the ingredients list. Use standard measuring spoons for accuracy, especially for things like spices, yeast and salt. Where possible, we use humanely reared and produced British meats, poultry and eggs, and sustainably sourced seafood. To avoid waste, we suggest how to use any leftovers you may have from our recipes. Eggs carrying the British Lion mark guarantee that all hens are vaccinated against salmonella. We try to avoid using plastic. You’ll find instructions to wrap or cover, but we won’t specify what to use unless it is vital to the recipe.
Helping you to eat well Our BANT-registered nutritionist analyses our recipes on a per-serving basis, not including optional serving suggestions. You can compare these amounts with the Reference Intake (RI), the official recommended amount an adult should consume daily: Energy 2,000 kcals, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 260g, Fat 70g, Saturates 20g, Sugar 90g, Salt 6g (RIs for total fat, saturates, sugar and salt are the maximum daily amounts). Healthy recipes are checked to ensure they have a low amount of saturated fat, sugar and salt per 100g, equivalent to green on a trafficlight label. On a per serving basis, Good Food
How we label our recipes Vegetarian (V) or vegan recipes are clearly labelled, but be sure to check the pack ingredients.
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require the saturated fat to be 5g or less, salt 1.5g or less and sugar, 15g or less per serving. Low-fat recipes in Good Food are low per 100g, or 12g or less per serving. Low-calorie recipes have 500 calories or less per main, or 150 calories or less for a dessert. We also include portions of fruit and/or veg in a serving, and highlight recipes that supply a third of the daily requirements of calcium, iron, folate and vitamin C, and a good source of fibre and omega-3.
Recipes for advertisement features are checked by our cookery team but not tested by them. Our gluten-free recipes are free from gluten, but this may exclude serving suggestions. For more information, visit coeliac.org.uk. We are unable to answer individual medical or nutritional queries.
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last bite
Test. Taste. Repeat.
A snapshot of what we’ve been cooking, filming and loving in the Test Kitchen Use your leftovers We’re always looking for clever ways to reduce food waste, but the easiest solution is to eat. That’s how a freezer clear-out turned into a full breakfast spread for the team, using up excess ingredients and frozen leftovers.
Something to celebrate Using an extra meringue we made during testing, plus whipped soft cheese, blackberry jam – that food editor Alice Shields had been experimenting with – and some leftover roasted hazelnuts, we made a truly spectacular pavlova stack to celebrate the birthdays of skills & shows editor Barney Desmazery and video manager Rachel Gunter – a sweet and sustainable treat!
A new face and beautiful bakes Say hello to Alice Shields, who has joined the Test Kitchen as food editor on maternity cover. She’s already turning heads with her stunning bakes – you’ll need to wait a bit longer to find out more about this delicious cake though. Keep your eyes peeled!
146 goodfood.com MAY 2026
From scraps to soil to supper We love our countertop Lomi recycler, which turns scraps into compost. Test Kitchen assistant Lucy Bridge then uses the compost in her veg patch, so food waste becomes soil, then soil grows food – the circle of life.
Your Good Food everywhere, all at once Find more fantastic recipes, fun feeds and great reads at: @goodfoodeveryday goodfood.com goodfoodeveryday.substack.com
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