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.

Really Easy Mexican Meatballs

This is part of a series of really easy dishes – this one takes as long as the rice does to cook. It’s perfect for a quick supper after work or lunch or tea with the kids.

Quick and Easy 30 Minute Chopped Salad

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

Jerk Pork with Jerk Sauce and Mango & Pineapple Relish

‘Summer is here! Time to go to your local butchers, pick up some good meat and fire up the BBQ! Try out dad’s tasty Caribbean Jerk marinade with a yummy mango and pineapple relish!’

Plum Soba, Prawns and Shiso Salad

This is inspired by a recipe in the book, ‘Salad’ by Amy Nathan (1985).

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 Filo Tartlets

These little quiches are full of spring vegetables, served with a salad they would make a brilliant lunch or light supper.

Asparagus Bruschetta

Most asparagus bruschetta recipes use goats cheese. I tried this and it’s okay but unremarkable, so I made a artichoke and cannellini bean puree to replace the cheese – it’s much better.

Asparagus, Plaice and Maltaise Mousse Canapes

This is a spin on Escoffier’s white asparagus with sauce maltaise. The two are often served as an accompaniment for a white fish such as turbot. Here the fish is plaice rolled around asparagus and a maltaise mousse and served as a canapé.

Asparagus Vignarola Pappardelle

This recipe uses a vignarola recipe but combines with pasta. A very good combination…

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.

Comparing the Raw Taste of Four Garlic Cultivars

I’m testing garlic. Well, somebody has to do it.

The Power and Pleasure of Pesto

Does anybody know how the perfect pesto should taste? The Genovese should, it’s where the dish originates…

Why a foodie should walk down… Clerkenwell Road

Clerkenwell Road is part of a route linking east and west London, yet with its quiet passages and historic square it has the character of an intimate neighbourhood. It’s also home to a variety of foodie venues serving Clerkenwell’s creative community. Here’s some of our favourites.

A Wagashi Birthday Treat

A dear friend made a trip to the Minamoto Kitchoan in Piccadilly London and bought a bag-full of wygashi delights for my birthday.



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