Which are the best potatoes for roasting?
This is the greengrocer’s eternal question. For me, you can’t beat the humble King Edward as a good roasting potato. They give you that perfect combination of a crispy outside and fluffy inside. Make sure you par-boil them in salted water for about five minutes before you roast them. Drain them and let them go as dry as possible before you go any further. A good trick I’ve learned is to heat the oil (I use vegetable oil, or goose fat if I’m feeling indulgent) before you tip the potatoes into the roasting tin – that way they soak up less oil and crisp up better. Basting your potatoes adds an extra bit of flavour, too.
Should you cross sprouts before you cook them?
I think so, yes. The point of the cross is to help the sprouts cook more quickly but without overcooking them. I mean, no-one likes a mushy sprout, do they? You should really cut bigger sprouts in half before cooking, so that all your sprouts are roughly the same size. That way you can cook them all to the same firmness without over-cooking the small ones, or under-cooking the big ones. I quite like to sautée or roast my Brussels rather than simply boiling them, as this helps to keep the texture and bring out their flavour.
Which herbs can I sprinkle on boiled carrots to add more flavour?
You can always spruce up your boiled carrots with some chopped fresh parsley, rosemary and thyme to give them that bit of extra flavour. Cumin goes well with really young carrots too – the slight bitterness of the cumin working wonders with the sweetness of the carrots. Try boiling them with some garlic cloves, too. Or you can roast them in a little olive oil, plenty of pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
For lamb, what’s a good alternative to rosemary for flavours and seasoning?
Dill, basil, thyme and mint all work well with lamb. And you can always try scoring the lamb joint and pushing in slivers of garlic too. As well as using herbs you can try experimenting with rubbing in different seasonings – a particular favourite of mine is cumin, which gives it a rather special spicy flavour. For choosing veg with your lamb, try roast parsnips, if you haven’t already. They go great with the mint sauce.
How can I keep fruit fresher for longer?
The simplest way of keeping most fruit fresh is to keep it cool. I tend to keep most of mine in the fridge, with just a little out on display in the fruit bowl. Bananas should not be kept in the fridge, but it’s a good idea to keep them separate from other fruit as they tend to make other fruits ripen much more quickly.
Does storing nuts in an air-tight container keep them fresh for longer?
You need to keep nuts somewhere dry and out of direct light to protect their colour and texture. I keep mine in an airtight plastic container in a dark cupboard.
How long do squashes last?
As a rule, if they’re un-cut, a long time. All the members of the squash family are different – some, like pumpkins and gourds will last for months, others for just a few weeks. We can help you with advice on how to store and use the different varieties and give you some great recipes too. Roasted buttetnut squash soup is, without doubt, one of my all-time favourite winter warmers.
Which vegetables other than spinach contain iron?
You don’t have to devour Popeye-type quantities of spinach to get the iron you need. I say that because I know a lot of people can only eat a small amount of it. Iron can be found in all leafy vegetables and anything containing whole grains, like bread and cereal, and also from certain types of beans such as kidney, soy and lima beans. Don’t forget that vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron better, so eating plenty of citrus fruit as well as vegetables helps your iron uptake too.
