Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 40 min | Total time: 50 min

Special Equipment

• 9-inch cast iron skillet, or other heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 large red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

• 60g ‘nduja paste

• 3 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ⅛ ground cayenne pepper or Calabrian chili paste – optional, the ‘nduja already has a kick, so add mindfully

• 1 can chopped tomatoes in their juices - try to use the highest quality possible

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 6 large eggs

• 70g feta, crumbled

• Chopped coriander or parsley, for garnish

• Bread for serving - see serving note below

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed (and oven safe) skillet over medium-low. Add the onion and bell pepper, cooking gently until very soft, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in paprika, cumin, and cayenne (if using Calabrian chili paste, don’t add it in yet), and cook for 1 minute.

4. Pour in the tomatoes and season with your salt and pepper. Dollop your ‘Nduja paste in your tomatoes throughout the pan, simmering until the tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Crumble your feta onto the tomatoes and if using, add your Calabrian chili paste here after tasting for spice level.

5. With a wooden spoon, make 6 little pockets around the skillet. Gently crack your eggs into each. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.

6. Transfer your skillet to the oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes.

7. Sprinkle with coriander or parsley and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions & Directions

• Bread is quite an essential component of shakshuka, in my opinion, but this can absolutely be eaten on its own if preferred.

• If you’d like to serve with bread, I recommend toasted and buttered sourdough or a really soft mediterranean-style pita, lightly warmed.

Notes

Substitutions

• You can omit the ‘nduja for a pescatarian version, or swap for another sausage like Merguez - which is another fave variation of mine.

• The feta can be omitted as well, or swapped with another cheese. I haven’t tried it with goat’s cheese, but I sense it would be fabulous.

Storing Instructions

• Since the eggs are cooked into the pan, shakshuka is best enjoyed when served immediately, but any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and left in the fridge for up to 2 days. I reheat in the microwave and admit defeat to the overcooked yolks - it’s almost as good anyway!

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Serves: 10-12 | Prep time: 45 min | Total time: 5 hours+ (chilling time)

Special Equipment

• Citrus juicer

• Microplane

• 23x23 cm glass baking dish or tiramisu pan

Ingredients

• 240ml strongly brewed coffee, no cooler than room temp

• 75ml Grand Marnier

• 30ml coffee liqueur - I like Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

• 45 ladyfingers - “spongefingers” if you live in the UK

• 450g mascarpone, cold

• 4 large eggs, separated

• 100g granulated sugar

• 480ml heavy whipping cream

• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• Dutch-process cocoa powder, for dusting

• Zest from 1-2 oranges, for garnish

Method

1. Brew your coffee and place it into a wide, shallow bowl. Add your coffee liqueur and orange juice, and whisk to combine. Set aside along with your baking dish while you prepare the rest.

2. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone and Grand Marnier together on medium speed in a large bowl for a few seconds until just combined. Do not overmix, and set aside.

3. Place a heatproof bowl over a small pot of gently simmering water over medium-low heat, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the egg yolks and 50g of granulated sugar together - about 5 minutes, until light and foamy. Remove from the heat and immediately pour it into your mascarpone mixture. With your mixer, beat on medium speed until everything is well combined. Set aside.

4. Using your handheld or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed - about 3 minutes, just until medium (not stiff, not soft) peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into your mascarpone mixture.

5. Again, using your handheld or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt together on medium-high speed until foamy - about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and slowly add in the remaining 50g of sugar. Beat together until stiff peaks form - about 4-5 minutes. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.

6. Soak the lady fingers into the coffee mixture on both sides - do this quickly as they will fall apart if you soak them any longer - and place them in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread about half of the mascarpone cream on top of the lady fingers, smoothing into an even layer.

7. Repeat the process, adding another layer of coffee-soaked lady fingers atop your layer of mascarpone. Top with the second half of the mascarpone cream and again, spread into an even layer.

8. Place the dish uncovered, in the fridge to set for at least 5 hours and up to overnight. If you’re refrigerating for longer than 5 hours, come back and lightly cover your dish with plastic wrap, doing so carefully so it doesn’t fall onto and smoosh your mascarpone.

9. When ready to serve, take the tiramisu out of the fridge and dust generously with cocoa powder. Top with your fresh orange zest, and serve.

Notes

Storing Instructions

• Stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but I’d be surprised if you have any left to store – unless made for a party of one, which I vehemently support.

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Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 10 min | Total time: 15 min

Special Equipment

• Bamboo or metal skewers

• Grill pan or BBQ

• Food processor

Ingredients

The Skewers

• 240g Italian mortadella - plain, pistachio, or truffle all work really well here

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

The Gremolata

• 40g flat leaf parsley

• 30g roasted pistachios

• Zest of one lemon

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Method

1. Assemble your mortadella slices in an S shape, piling evenly across 4-6 skewers.

2. Heat your grill pan or BBQ grill on high. While your pan gets hot, make your gremolata.

3. Add your pistachios, flat leaf parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and sea salt to a food processor and pulse until combined. Add in the olive oil, and taste for seasoning. If using, add your red pepper flakes, and additional salt if needed (but keep in mind that mortadella is salty, so I would air on the side of less salting here). Set aside for 15 minutes or more, until ready to serve.

4. Brush your skewers with olive oil and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning halfway through and as needed to reach brown crispy edges on all sides.

5. Transfer skewers to a serving plate. Top with your gremolata, sprinkling additional chopped pistachios and lemon zest for garnish, and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

• It’s fabulous on its own, but also delicious served with fresh focaccia and burrata or stracciatella.

Notes

Storing Instructions

• Best eaten immediately, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

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Serves: 1 | Prep time: 2 min | Cook time: 8 min | Total time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 40g oats - I am partial to the M&S Jumbo Oats, but any will work; just mind your cooking time as it will change depending on the oats you use.

• ½ small Pink Lady Apple - you can use another variety, but I really think these add the best flavour here

• 200ml water

• 40ml milk - I use dairy milk, but you can use dairy-free if needed

• 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup, depending on your preferred sweetness

• 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch sea salt

• 1 ½ tablespoons Greek yogurt, for garnish

• Handful granola, for garnish - any spice-forward granola will work (look for cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger in the ingredients) or you can also use candied walnuts/pecans if you have them on hand

Method

1. Bring your salted water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add your oats and give a stir, before lowering the heat to medium.

2. While your oats cook, chop your apple into small chunks.

3. Once your oats are about halfway through cooking (half of the water has disappeared), add in your apple chunks. Let cook all the way through until the apples are tender.

4. Add your flaxseed and maple syrup, and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and add your milk, giving another stir to combine.

5. Spoon your porridge into a bowl, and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, and a small handful of granola or chopped candied walnuts/pecans.

Notes

Storing Instructions

• Porridge is best when fresh but it keeps very well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a small saucepan or in the microwave, adding in 1-2 teaspoons of water to steam.

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Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 min | Total time: 1h 15 min

Special Equipment

• Mandolin

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 block halloumi (225g), sliced or cubed

• 90g mixed leaf lettuce - I like the Sainsbury’s Delicate & Mild Mixed Leaf Salad Mix

• 350g sesame honey roasted carrots - see recipe below

• 30g radish, thinly sliced - about 6 radishes

• 30g green apple, thinly sliced - about half an apple

• 15g golden raisins, soaked and dried

• Squeeze of lemon

• Handful chopped chives, mint and fresh dill, for serving

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• Salt & pepper to taste

For the Carrots

• 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

For the Dressing

• 60g tahini

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon honey

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon aleppo pepper

• 1 - 2 tablespoons ice cold water (to thin)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C.

2. While you wait for the oven to heat, prepare your dressing by whisking together the tahini, rice vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, and aleppo pepper. Once thickened, add in your ice cold water by the tablespoon and whisk until smooth and slightly runny.

3. Once your oven is ready, combine your carrots, olive oil, honey, and salt on a baking tray, and sprinkle your sesame seeds over top - try not to dig your fingers in to mix everything because the sesame seeds will just stick to you and not the carrots. Place in the oven for approx. 1 hour (or more if needed), tossing halfway through.

4. While your carrots roast, soak your raisins in lukewarm water for 5 minutes to plump up. Drain the water and pat them dry, setting aside until ready to use.

5. Finely slice (I like using a mandolin here for ease) your radishes and green apple, set aside until use. I like to put lemon juice on my apple while it sits so it doesn’t brown, but this is entirely optional.

6. Once your carrots are cooked through and charred at the edges, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

7. While they cool, slice or cube your halloumi, and soak it in water for 2-3 minutes. Pat dry and set aside.

8. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add in your halloumi and cook until the edges start to brown. Flip or toss and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat.

9. Assemble your lettuce, topping with the sesame honey roasted carrots, radishes, green apple, and raisins. Add your dressing, then top with the halloumi, all of your fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. Season to your liking, and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutions

• Adding fresh or pickled fennel to this salad would be delicious. I thought of it as I was writing this recipe, so you’ll likely see it in my next go :)

• As always, you can get creative with a crunchy topping – Tatte’s original recipe uses sliced almonds for topping instead of additional sesame seeds, but I personally like the punch of extra sesame, especially with my addition of fresh herbs.

Storing Instructions

• The salad combined is best served immediately, but the dressing and roasted carrots stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, so you can prep these to assemble your salad all week long.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 5 min | Total time: 10 min

Special Equipment

• Cling film

Ingredients

The Carpaccio

• 8-10 fresh, ripe figs – I like to use the huge Turkish figs I find at my local fruit shops as they’re softer and meatier

• 80g gorgonzola dolce, torn

• 15g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil

• 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic glaze

• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

• 20g candied walnuts, chopped

The Candied Walnuts

• 150g raw walnuts, halves or pieces

• 100g brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Method

1. Mix walnuts and brown sugar together in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. As the brown sugar melts, toss the walnuts around in the saucepan to coat the nuts evenly, ensuring the sugar doesn’t burn. Cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the nuts from the pan and place on a lined baking sheet to prevent them from drying in a clump.

4. While the walnuts cool, peel your figs. Place them onto your serving dish and cover with a sheet of cling film. Press flat using a glass until the figs are evenly spread across the dish as thinly as possible.

5. Top with hand-torn chunks of gorgonzola. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and dollop with balsamic glaze. Top with your candied walnuts and fresh mint, freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately, or if you want to make ahead, wait to top with your walnuts and mint until just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Fresh focaccia, baguette, or sourdough crackers.

Notes

Variations

• You can substitute the gorgonzola dolce with whipped ricotta, burrata, or stracciatella.

• Basil is a nice substitute here, but I quite like the freshness of the mint.

• Nuts, as always, can be substituted with different varieties - toasted pistachios, raw Marcona almonds, candied pecans, almonds or hazelnuts would all work wonderfully.

• Feel free to add microgreens for more texture and freshness, too.

Storing Instructions

• Best eaten immediately, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

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Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 min | Total time: 20 min

Special Equipment

• Citrus juicer

• Microplane

• Hand mixer or whisk

Ingredients

• 250g ricotta cheese - substitutions can be found in the notes below

• 200g fresh garden peas, shelled

• 15g fresh basil leaves, chopped

• 15g fresh mint leaves, chopped

• 10g fresh chives, very finely chopped

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 15ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• ½ - 1 teaspoon honey

• ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

• 20g roasted pistachios, chopped - substitutions below

Method

1. Boil peas in salted water for 2 minutes until bright green but not yet tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and add the garlic, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Remove as much of the garlic from the oil as possible.

3. Add the peas and honey, and sauté while stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes.

4. Stir in lemon juice, ¾ of your lemon zest, Aleppo pepper, salt and pepper until combined. The peas should feel tender, but you may need an additional minute or two on medium heat - check for doneness and remove from heat to cool slightly.

5. While your pea mixture rests, whip your ricotta using either a whisk attachment from your hand mixer or regular beaters until it is smooth, light, and creamy - about 3-4 minutes.

6. Before transferring from the pan, add your basil, mint, and chives to your pea mixture and give it a good stir.

7. Plate your ricotta, top with pea mixture, pistachios, and season with salt, pepper, and remaining lemon zest. Serve immediately with toasted bread, fresh focaccia, or pita crisps.

Serving Suggestions

• Toasted sourdough or baguette

• Fresh focaccia

• Pita crisps

• Belgian endive leaves

Notes

Variations

• You can substitute the ricotta with feta or goat’s cheese for a saltier bite, or use store-bought labneh as your base.

• Feel free to get creative with your herbs - I love the basil/mint/chive combination, but you can easily add/substitute other herbs like dill, parsley, etc.

• Likewise, you can use any nuts you wish - almonds, hazelnuts, or Marcona almonds would be delicious here.

• You can bulk up your pea topping with additional veggies like asparagus or courgette, or add crispy Brussels sprouts just before plating for a more Autumn/winter variation.

Storing Instructions

• Best eaten immediately, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

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Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 min | Total time: 20 min

Special Equipment

• Whisk

• Mandolin

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 2 crab cakes - I used store bought leftovers but you can definitely make your own

• 1 large ear of corn, lightly boiled, sliced

• 60g crunchy green lettuce

• 50g cucumber, chopped

• 200g heirloom tomatoes, chopped

• 85g avocado (about half a large one), chopped

• 30g red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ - 1 jalapeño pepper - depending on your spice tolerance

• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

• Squeeze of lemon

• Handful chopped coriander leaves, chives, and fresh dill, for serving

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Optional: parsley oil, to garnish

For the Dressing

• 110g high quality mayonnaise

• 110g Greek yogurt

• 120ml whole milk or buttermilk

• 1 teaspoon dill weed, very finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon chives, very finely sliced

• ½ teaspoon dried parsley

• ½ teaspoon dried chives

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.

2. While you wait for the oven to heat, prepare your dressing by whisking together the mayo, Greek yogurt and milk until smooth. Add the spices and herbs, and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

3. Gently boil your ear of corn for 3-4 minutes before removing from water to cool.

4. Place your crab cakes in the oven to reheat and crisp (if not fresh).

5. While the corn cools, toast your pumpkin seeds in a pan at medium heat, tossing frequently to ensure they don’t burn - about 5-7 minutes. You should hear them crackle when they’re ready. Finish with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt in the pan before transferring to a bowl to cool.

6. Chop your cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado, and slice your red onion and jalapeño pepper (I recommend using a mandolin here if you have one).

7. Slice kernels from your cooled ear of corn.

8. Assemble your greens, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, red onion and toss with your dressing.

9. Transfer to plates/bowls, and top with chunks of warm crab cake.

10. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs, sliced jalapeño rounds, toasted pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutions

• You can use fresh crab meat here if a crab cake isn’t your thing, but it might be worthwhile to add more seeds or croutons for some extra crunch.

• I haven’t tested a dairy-free version of the dressing, but you can definitely substitute with your favourite dairy-free alternatives.

Storing Instructions

• The salad itself is best served immediately, but the dressing stays fresh in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container.

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Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 min | Total time: 15 min

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 300g assorted French beans, blanched - I used green & yellow, but purple would be gorgeous too

• 190g red grapes - feel free to do half red, half green if you want more colour (I just personally find red grapes pair better with the blue cheese)

• 1 french shallot, finely chopped

• 80g Bleu d’Auvergne, crumbled - you can substitute with another blue cheese, just make sure it’s firm enough to stand up against the beans

• 2 tablespoons toasted Marcona almonds, chopped

• Handful parsley leaves, for serving

For the Dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Blanch your beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before plunging in a bowl of ice cold water to sit.

2. Chop Marcona almonds and let them brown in a pan at medium heat, tossing frequently to ensure they don’t burn - about 5-7 minutes.

3. While everything cools, rinse and cut your grapes crosswise and set aside in a medium-sized bowl.

4. Finely chop the shallot and parsley, set aside.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice (or ACV), honey, salt and pepper. Add the chopped parsley and shallot, and let marinate for 5-10 minutes.

6. Once cooled, pat your beans dry and add to the bowl of grapes. Drizzle with your vinaigrette and give it a good mix.

7. Plate your beans and grapes, and crumble blue cheese on top, followed by the chopped almonds.

8. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley leaves to serve.

Notes

Substitutions

• This salad is special because of the blue cheese, but if you or someone at your table is strongly averse (as many are), you can easily make this salad with Manchego, Pecorino, or an aged goat’s cheese (with the rind).

• If you can’t find Marcona almonds, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts would be great here too. Just make sure to toast them!

Storing Instructions

• Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 min | Total time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 300g Nordic shrimp - or just the smallest shrimp you can find

• 1 celery rib, finely chopped

• 20g red onion, very finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon good quality mayonnaise - I like the Olive Oil Mayonnaise from M&S

• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 slices of fresh Rye or lightly toasted sourdough

• 2 lemon wedges

• Pea shoots or watercress

• Optional: salmon roe or hard boiled egg - or both

Method

1. Coarsely chop shrimp and set aside

2. In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, crème fraîche or greek yogurt, dijon, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir in celery, red onion, dill, and shrimp.

3. Add the lemon juice, chives, and season to taste.

4. Spoon shrimp salad over your bread, and top with roe or hard boiled egg (if using) and pea shoots/watercress. Garnish with additional herbs, salt and pepper, and serve with a lemon wedge.

Notes

Substitutions

• Greek yogurt can be used in lieu of crème fraîche for a lighter salad, Dijon mustard can be substituted with grainy mustard for a more flavourful punch, and lemon zest can be omitted if you prefer a less lemon-forward mixture.

Storing Instructions

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• Store in an airtight container for 1 day in the refrigerator.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 min | Total time: 50 min

Special Equipment

• Citrus juicer

• Mandolin

Ingredients

• 1 pound of fresh fish, diced - sea bass, sea bream, halibut, snapper, shrimp

• 250g fresh fruit, diced - mango, peach, nectarine, pineapple, orange/grapefruit

• ½ red onion, very thinly sliced along the grain

• 1 fresh jalapeño or scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and very finely chopped

• 3 radishes, very thinly sliced

• 15g fresh coriander, chopped (minus a few leaves for garnish)

• 177ml lime juice, freshly squeezed (4-6 juicy limes)

• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon olive oil (optional)

Method

1. Slice red onion thinly with the grain (I like using a mandolin for a very fine slice), and toss in a bowl with salt, pepper, and lime juice to coat

2. Dice fish into ½ inch cubes, and add to the bowl with garlic (or ginger), fresh chilies, and mix gently

3. Add the mango, radish, coriander, and olive oil before placing in the refrigerator for minimum 30 minutes to marinate

4. Before serving, season with additional salt, pepper, or chilies to taste. If adding, fold in the corn nuts, and top with coriander leaves to garnish.

Serving Suggestions

• Tortilla chips

• Root vegetable chips

• Plantain chips

• Avocado - sliced to top, or halved to fill

• Tostadas

• Sweet potato, sliced and boiled (the Peruvian way)

Notes

Variations

• Fruit/veg

  • Fresh tomato - cherry or vine

  • Cucumber

  • Fresh corn - crunchy, sweet, delicious

  • Avocado

  • Passionfruit - crunchy and so flavourful

• Seasoning

  • Fresh ginger, grated

  • Thai chilies, very finely chopped

• Topping

  • Salted corn nuts make for the best crunchy bite (South American-style)

Storing Instructions

• Best eaten immediately but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for 1 day in the refrigerator

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Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 min | Total time: 10 - 20 min, depending on serving method

Special Equipment

• Can opener

Ingredients

• 200g can of tuna - I like the M&S Tuna Steak in Spring Water, but any style in water will do

• 1 celery rib, finely chopped

• 20g red onion, very finely chopped

• 28g green olives, chopped - I like Castelvetrano, Nocellara, or Manzanilla

• 1 tablespoon good quality mayonnaise - I like the Olive Oil Mayonnaise from M&S

• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• Optional herbs: dill (my preference for a sourdough toast or tuna melt), and/or chives

Method

1. Drain tuna well and transfer to a small bowl

2. In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir in celery, red onion, green olives, and herbs (if using), then fold in the tuna, lightly breaking up into small chunks while you mix

3. Add the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to use a small amount of Himalayan Pink Salt in tuna salad because I find canned tuna salty as is but adjust to your preference.

Serving Suggestions & Directions

Tuna Salad Sando

• Lightly toast two slices of sourdough (if fresh, don’t toast!), coat with a small dollop of mayonnaise, stack the tuna salad with a fresh crack of black pepper, and top with butter lettuce or little gem leaves.

Open-Faced Tuna Melt

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly toast one side of a slice of sourdough in a pan with olive oil. Stack the untoasted side with tuna salad and sharp cheddar cheese, and transfer to a baking sheet.

• Place in the oven for 10 minutes, and remove once the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups

• Tear and wash 4 leaves from a head of butter lettuce, little gem, or romaine, top with tuna salad, a thick slice of avocado, and 1-2 basil leaves. Top with freshly cracked pepper and serve immediately.

Tuna Salad in a Salad

• Drizzle a bed of rocket with a touch of olive oil, a dash of white balsamic vinegar, and a dash of apple cider vinegar. Mix in chopped cucumber and avocado, and top with tuna salad, fresh basil leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Notes

Substitutions

• Greek yogurt can be substituted with tahini or a non-dairy option for a dairy-free version, mayonnaise can be substituted with more Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for a lighter alternative, or you can do a tahini/Greek yogurt combination if mayo isn’t your bag!

Storing Instructions

• Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 40 min

Special Equipment

• 23cm cast iron skillet, or other heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet

• Microplane

• Blender

Ingredients

The Dutch Baby

• 3 large eggs

• 180ml whole or semi-skimmed milk

• 85g all-purpose flour

• 30g unsalted butter, melted

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 30g unsalted butter (for the skillet)

• 2 teaspoons green onions, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons fresh chives, finely chopped

The Peas

• 15g unsalted butter

• 15ml extra virgin olive oil

• 145g fresh English peas

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 120ml water

• 1 ½ tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped fresh

• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped fresh

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• Small pinch of chili flakes or Aleppo pepper, optional

• 15ml lemon juice

• Zest from one lemon

The Toppings

• 150g cheese (of your choosing), optional

  • Boursin, crumbled

  • Herb goat cheese, crumbled

  • Feta, crumbled

  • Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

  • Pecorino Romano, freshly grated

  • Manchego, shaved

  • Cheddar, shaved

• ½ tablespoon finely chopped chives

• ½ tablespoon mint/coriander/basil, optional

• Pea shoots

• 100g protein (of your choosing), optional

  • Prosciutto

  • Shaved ham/jambon de Paris

  • Smoked salmon/trout

  • Soft boiled egg, halved

  • Hard boiled egg, grated

Method

The Dutch Baby

1. Preheat the oven to 230°F and place 23cm skillet in the oven to heat

2. Combine eggs, milk, flour, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth

3. Once the oven is ready, carefully remove the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan

4. Very quickly pour in the batter and sprinkle the finely chopped parsley, green onions, and chives on top. Place the skillet back in the oven to cook for 20 minutes until puffy and lightly browned around the edges

The Peas

5. While the Dutch baby bakes in the oven, make the pea mixture

6. Melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the peas, garlic, and green onions. Sauté while stirring occasionally for 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant but hasn’t changed colour

7. Add the water to cover the peas, and continue to cook until the peas are tender (but not yet wrinkled) and the water has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes

8. Stir in the parsley, green onions, chives, salt, pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice until combined. Remove from heat and set aside until the Dutch baby is done

Garnish & Serve

9. Crumble, grate, or shave your cheese of choice

10. Remove the Dutch baby from the oven and top with pea mixture and cheese

11. Garnish with remaining herbs and pea shoots

12. Serve immediately with protein of choice on the side, if desired

Notes

Substitutions

• All variations have been included but, of course, leave me a comment if you have any questions!

Storing Instructions

• A Dutch baby is best enjoyed when served immediately, but any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and left in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven for 7-9 minutes at 180°C.

Make-Ahead

• The batter can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container or glass jar in the refrigerator. Remove 1 hour before using to bring it back to room temperature, and give it a final whisk before pouring into the hot skillet.

Here’s the thing though: this list isn’t a mandate to drink more. If anything, it’s the opposite. The beauty o…

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Hi, I’m Charlotte - but my friends call me Char!

The 70/30 Split

It’s funny, I spent years thinking about leaving PR to pursue a career in food, and the vision for the kind of cook I want to be, where I’d love this career to take me, and the overall goal were all very clear - but what wasn’t clear was where to start.

If I were to pull out my phone and show you my FYP on Instagram, you’d see about 70% food-related content, 10% cycling/running/skiing content, 10% interior design, 5% fashion, and 5% montages of life-altering live music performances from the past five decades. It’s a split that represents who I am both online and offline rather accurately.

But since you’re here, and since no one cares what my FYP consists of, I figure I should start with an introduction. LunchLately is the front-facing food blog; I’m the personal chef and recipe developer behind it. For the past four years, my Notes app has quietly collected every recipe idea and meal concept that’s ever popped into my head - no matter the time of day (or night) - and I’m thrilled they’re finally seeing the light of day.

But before we get into all that, I thought I’d start by sharing 15 random facts to help sum up who I am: the person behind the screen, who spends 70% of her time thinking about or looking at food, and the remaining 30% doing other things she really loves.

1. In my 30 years, I’ve lived in 20 different houses I’ve called “home”

2. My first language is French, but my better language is English

3. I studied abroad twice in university; once in London, and once in Rome. I now live in London again

4. I have been fortunate enough to make really wonderful friends everywhere I’ve moved, but I’m even more fortunate to call a big chunk of them “childhood friends”

5. I fell in love with running 12 years ago; I’m good at it, but I don’t do any organised races

6. I also train in the gym 4-5 days per week, and I cycle and ski a lot (seasonally, of course) - can you tell I have a hard time sitting still?

7. My favourite cities in the world are London, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo, but I’d choose to be in the mountains or by a body of water over a city almost every time

8. I really believe that food is what brings people together and allows us to experience different walks of life through a culinary journey

9. I grew up in a wine family - my grandfather retired at 50 years young to become a winemaker - so wine is a big part of my life; pairing food with wine is an art I will never tire of

10. My comfort TV show is Friends

11. I listen to a lot of music, but you won’t catch me listening to any of the new Gen Z pop stars

12. I developed a severe sweet tooth after graduating from university, and I’m just waiting for my metabolism to pull a Benjamin Button on me

13. I’m very sarcastic

14. My dream is to live locally in a quaint town in France or Italy for some time one day

15. I love taking risks, and when I start to feel comfortable, I get the itch to change something… which usually triggers a domino effect. Taking LunchLately from passion project - cooking for friends, writing recipes for fun - to a full-time personal chef career is one of these risks, and I couldn’t be more excited.

So, there you have it - the 30% of me that isn’t thinking about food. If you’re curious about the other 70%, subscribe or take a look at my website — you’ll find the LunchLately story, a growing collection of recipes (straight from the Notes app!), and some information about my services.

And, if you’re looking for someone to do the cooking for you, reach out - I’d love to feed you.

Most importantly, thank you for being here. It means the world.