What Dad Cooked is a collection of our dad’s recipes, thoughts, tips and cooking hacks that simply need to be shared with all you foodies!

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Seasonal Favourites

Some delicious seasonal summer family recipes to choose from the What Dad Cooked repertoire.

Dad’s Japanese style Asparagus Tempura Soba

This is a classic Japanese way with soba and tempura. Strickly speaking the asparagus tempura is kaki-age, made like a tempura fritter rather than individual spears coated in tempura. But such academic details seem trivial when it comes to tempura – any tempura is amazing – especially asparagus!

Mexican Chocolate Flan

‘A beautiful chocolate flan from Dad inspired by the flavours of Mexico.’

Vingnole Pasta

‘Seriously tasty this (originally) ‘Italian peasant dish’ is a proper winter warmer, or a spring/summer dish made with fresh seasonal vegetables…’

Quick and Easy 30 Minute Chopped Salad

“Super simple, and very easy 30 Minute American Style Chopped Salad for two with under 10 ingredients.”

Latest recipes

Check out Dad's latest homecooked dishes and recipes below. Or click recipes in the menu to browse through 6+ years of Dad's homecooking recipes for families.

Cassoulet de Toulouse à la Pappa

A perfect winter warmer – Cassoulet!

The Laughing Cow Lightest Loaded Quesadilla

Try Dad’s loaded low-fat salsa quesadillas with The Laughing Cow Lightest x8 cheese.

Melanzane Parmigiana with Dolmio 7 Vegetables Sun Ripened Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce

An excellent way to turn a popular Italian slow food standard into an easy and quicker family classic.

Pumpkin Pie

My best pumpkin pie yet!

Asaparagus

A seasonal favourite ingredient of Dad's, so much so he made a 30 recipe series about the green spears! Try these recipes whilst asparagus can still be found locally.

Asparagus Pizza

This recipe matches asparagus with a deconstructed puttanesca sauce. Surprisingly, this really works – the asparagus stands up well to the robust pizza flavours.

Asparagus and peas braised in butter with herbs, hazelnuts, kasha and lemon

It’s the British asparagus season – make the most of it with this very simple combination: fresh asparagus from local fields and fresh peas from a pod, boiled and then quickly braised in butter, with lemon herbs and hazlenuts and kasha for a bit of crunch.

Asparagus Summer Roll

Asian asparagus salad in a rice paper wrap – not your usual way with asparagus – but well worth the effort.

Tosi Gorgonzola with Asparagus on Polenta

Well, what do you know, here’s a taste combination from out of the blue! Asparagus and dolci Gorgonzola. Add grilled polenta and well-paired wine and you will be in Italian food heaven.

Dad's Food Journal

Dad loves to write about food. Whether it's discovering a new road local to London or Surrey, where the treasures of foodie stores and independent shops delight—or Dad's macro observations in the world of food. Dad's articles (and foodie stories to his recipes) are a funny and knowledgable journey through the lense of how pops views the world.

Making Chocolates

Making chocolates is a labour of love. They need time and patience – and practice. But just like any kitchen skill, the more you do it the easier it becomes. So persevere. They are great fun and very rewarding to give as presents.

Making Chocolates

Making chocolates is a labour of love. They need time and patience – and practice. But just like any kitchen skill, the more you do it the easier it becomes. So persevere. They are great fun and very rewarding to give as presents.

Part Two: A Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

It’s Thanksgiving on the 24th November. Here’s the low-down on WDC’s traditional American Thanksgiving dinner.

Top 10 Classic Family Meals

A list of our top family meals we used to have together when the children were growing up.



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