Here’s a really easy way with gnocchi. Add to a quick cheese sauce made with Gorgonzola, add a few chives and that’s it. Use a good Gorgonzola (I’ve used the excellent cheese made by Tosi),

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.

Leo and his partner took Mr and Mrs WDC to Brasserie Zédel. As so many people have commented, the hightlight is the steak haché. Here’s my version.

This recipe is all about tofu and how well it partners avocado, spinach, sesame and ponzu dressing. I’ve been rather fastidious in presentation – but don’t let that put you off. Just try the combo, however its presented.

A côte de boeuf is a basically a monster steak with a bone in, or a French version of a rib of beef. But however you want to describe it, it is a wonderful piece of beef. Cook it simply and serve with chips and salad – and my no-split, light and easy béarnaise sauce.

Bao buns seem to be the latest thing. But don’t just make them to be trendy – they’re fun and good to eat.

Yaki soba is a Japanese noodle stir-fry. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat, but yaki soba are uses egg or wheat noodles.

This is a staple of the Basque region of Spain. It seems in every way a bit foreign or difficult. But it’s basically fish in a parsley flavoured sauce. It’s a good recipe to learn as you can swap around the ingredients endlessly to suit your taste and budget.

Pete always liked my Asian-flavoured sweet glazed ham. So here is a version based on five-spice flavourings.

A simple 30 minute Italian Classic.

These Mexican-style meatballs in a smoky chipotle sauce are a great antidote to the coming Christmas fare.

With this bangers and mash recipe, the sausages and potatoes are replaced with chorizo and seasonal butternut squash mash and the gravy is replaced with a Spanish pepper sauce.

A delicious salad of fresh vegetables, typical of those grown in my childhood home!

These are possibly the poshest tinned peaches you will ever eat. They’re not only delicious, they’re beautiful.

These were trending a while back, but they were made famous long ago by Peter Gordon at Kopapa in Covent Garden London (now closed). I had them there and thought them a bit gloopy (sorry Peter/Turkey).