Guides
Whether you’re menu-planning, needing inspiration on which ingredients are currently in season, looking for round-ups of some of our latest recipe ideas or general handy tips on how to get the best results in your kitchen, our Guides section has it all!
1129 articles
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Samphire
Samphire is a vibrant green vegetable, available in the summer months, that is very similar to asparagus and with a fresh, slightly salty flavour.
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Jerusalem artichoke
The Jerusalem artichoke is pinkish in colour and looks like a large lump of root ginger. It’s actually a type of sunflower and its name derives from the Italian for sunflower, 'girasole'.
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Marinade
Marinades are a marvellous way of imparting extra flavour into meat, fish or vegetables, by leaving food to infuse with other flavours before cooking.
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Tamarind
Tamarind is a fruit, originating in Asia, with a sweet and tangy flavour and is used widely in dishes from India through to South East Asia.
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Amaretto
Amaretto is is a sweet almond-scented liqueur that is often used in Italian desserts or enjoyed as an after-dinner tipple.
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En papillote
The French term 'en papillote' means to wrap food in a parcel before baking in the oven. It helps seal in flavour, retain nutrition, and keeps everything moist as it cooks in its own steam.
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Manchego
This classic Spanish cheese is made from Manchega sheep's milk and must be aged for at least 60 days to be considered a proper manchego.
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Vanilla sugar
Vanilla sugar is made by leaving a split vanilla pod in a jar of sugar to infuse. It's a great way of using up a spent pod by making it go a little further!
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Arborio rice
Arborio rice is a starchy rice, which takes its name from a village in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy. It's most commonly used in risottos because it absorbs more liquid than other varieties and has a creamy texture when cooked.
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En croûte
'En croûte' means, quite simply, ‘in a crust’. This French dish involves wrapping ingredients in a layer of pastry before baking in the oven.
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Prosciutto
Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham made from the hind leg of a pig. It has a sweet and salty flavour and is often served raw and thinly sliced.
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Physalis
The yellowish round fruit is about the size of a cherry tomato, protected by a papery skin and is part of the nightshade family.
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Fricassée
Fricassée is – generally – a type of stew in which meat is cut up, braised and served in a creamy white sauce.
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Par-boil
Par-boiling involves boiling a vegetable briefly in order to reduce the total cooking time needed – perfect for making roast potatoes!
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Goji berries
Goji berries are grown in East Asia, are similar in size and texture to a raisin and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry.
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Palm sugar
Palm sugar is formed by taking the sap from the flowering stalks of a palm tree and boiling it down. It should have a crumbly texture
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What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings made from potatoes and flour. To cook, simply boil in water for two or three minutes – they are done when they rise to the surface.
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Pak choi
Pak choi, also known as Chinese chard, white cabbage and bok choy, is a member of the cabbage family and is often used in Chinese cooking.
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Bulgur wheat
Bulgur (or bulgar) is a cereal made with wheat – usually durum wheat – that’s widely used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking.
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Persimmon
Persimmon, also know as Sharon fruit, looks a bit like a tomato, is yellowy-orange in colour and has a juicy, sweet pulp inside.
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Borlotti beans
Borlotti beans are popular due to their sweet flavour, meaty texture and soothing creaminess. If you’re using the dried kind, soak for eight hours before simmering gently for an hour and a half.
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Julienne
Julienne is a culinary technique which involves chopping vegetables into long, thin ‘matchstick’ shapes, such as in the classic celeriac remoulade.
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Quesadilla
Quesadillas are the Mexican version of a cheese toastie (it translates as ‘little cheesy thing’ in Spanish), but are made using tortillas instead of bread.
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Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family and can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a subtle flavour and is appealingly tender when cooked.
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Clarified butter
Clarified butter is rendered butter once all the milk solids have been removed. When butter is melted, it separates into three layers. The top layer is a white frothy foam (the whey), to be skimmed and discarded. The bottom layer is the milk solids.
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Kaffir lime leaf
Kaffir lime leaves are often used in south-east Asian cooking – most commonly Thai cuisine They have an aromatic, citrusy flavour and make an excellent addition to curries, soups or stir-frys.
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What does refreshing vegetables mean?
Refreshing vegetables means to plunge them in cold water immediately after cooking in order to stop the cooking process.
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Couscous
Couscous is a versatile cereal made from semolina and water and is a popular alternative to rice and pasta. It's often used in salads and Middle-Eastern and North African cooking.
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Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a citrusy herb, commonly used in Thai cooking. It looks a bit like a spring onion, but is much firmer, and has a woody texture.
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