Garlic Connects Friends

It was a snail that introduced me to garlic. My mother was from England and my father was from Slovakia so spice and punch came in the form of mustard, black pepper or sauerkraut. Olives, capers and anchovies never appeared on our table. Since then garlic appears so frequently in my recipes that I use garlic scapes, the immature flower stalks of hard neck garlic, as my logo.

Jose Pizarro’s Easter Spring Lamb

Leading UK Spanish chef Jose Pizarro has created a mouth-watering little recipe for Easter. Using spring lamb, the recipe combines olives, mint, garlic, potatoes and lots of other gorgeous things to create a really delicious Easter feast or simple tapas with friends.

Paul Rankin’s Irish Stew.

Why not celebrate St Patrick’s Day with Paul Rankin’s Irish Stew? Ready Steady Cook stalwart and owner of the successful Belfast-based restaurant Cayenne, has shared with us his exclusive recipe for Irish Stew. Paul’s recipe is a hearty concoction filled with meat, potatoes and vegetables – plus a few little twists of his own.

Gouda fondu

This rich and meltingly moreish fondue uses Frico Dutch Gouda cheese which has been flavoured with sun dried tomatoes, olives, herbs and garlic. It is perfect for sharing with friends.

I’ve got a lovely bunch of Carrots

Before I went to Sicily, I thought of tomatoes, peppers, aubergine, artichokes and mushrooms as Italian vegetables. Carrots were the wrong color for my red, white and green Italian palette. But, since my daily trips to the market, I have changed my mind.